Home > Compare Adventure Operators > Explore vs G Adventures
Explore vs G Adventures
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Explore and G Adventures.The Low Down
Explore Worldwide is a UK adventure travel company that has been around since 1981. They run small group tours around the world with an average of 12 guests. They also have self-guided trips where all the logistics are taken care of, but travellers can take their day to day adventures at their own pace. Accommodation is often family run lodgings and guides are passionate locals. Itineraries are a mix of must-sees and who-knews, and guests can choose from different trip styles to suit their interests.Explore recognises that adventure is different for everyone, and their trips range from classic discovery group tours to active adventures such as hiking and cycling. They also have dedicated family trips, themed journeys such as those that focus on wildlife or their limited edition Explore Beyond collection which showcases rare one-off events. While Global Journeys has only partnered with Explore since 2019, they have an impressive track record with 96% of past travellers saying they would travel with them again.
G Adventures have impressed us with their ethos, their range of unique itineraries and proven track record with over 100,000 past travellers. Their main competitor in the adventure touring space is Intrepid, with both Operators focused on authentic, affordable small group tours. With over 600 trips around the world and 50,000 departures, G have a stunning range of interesting unique itineraries to choose from, with a focus on South and Central America, Asia and Polar expedition cruising. G Adventures operate dynamic pricing so prices can change daily - upwards if the trip is filling up, and down if they need to fill some spaces. G have also recently incorporated Wellness trips and 18-to-Thirty Somethings adventuresinto their portfolio of trip styles.
Stats
No. of Trips
537
No. of Departures
14,753
Avg. Trip Length
11 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$302
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
No. of Trips
900
No. of Departures
66,427
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$284
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Explore has been taking small groups on adventure holidays all over the world for almost 40 years. The expert team, at home and overseas, works together to create itineraries that leave you feeling that you’ve really explored a destination rather than just visited. You’ll see the highlights, the must-sees, of course. But you’ll also get away from the beaten track, and get a different perspective on your destination. You’ll get closer to a place, its people and cultures.
Our small groups are typically 12 people – small enough to get right into the heart of your destination, but big enough to find like-minded people to share your experiences with. And the glue that holds these groups together is our local tour leaders, who are uniquely placed to add individual and spontaneous moments to each trips – moments that stay with you long after you return home. All sorts of people travel with Explore – our groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends. What unites them is their adventurous spirit and thirst for real travel experiences.
We provide authentic small-group travel, designed by experts and led by experts, with sustainability at its heart and a common desire for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re on a cultural tour of Lebanon, cycling in Vietnam, walking in Italy or exploring Costa Rica with your family, when you’re travelling with Explore you know that you’re in good hands.
G Adventures came from a desire to deliver authentic and responsible small group travel adventures that were equally life-changing for travellers and the communities they visit. And we’re been doing just that for almost 30 years.
Our award-winning trips span seven continents and over 100 countries, giving you meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, as well as offering you the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own.
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Recent Reviews
4.8
I really enjoyed the trip , the walking, winter sun (interrupted by a couple of rainy days!), and a good group and tour leader - more than anything though, it was great just to travel abroad again after a gap of more than 2 years.
The scenery inland is quite outstanding with dozens of deep, chiseled valleys and gorges of extreme, austere beauty. If we had just 1 gorge of that quality anywhere in the UK, we'd have declared it a National Monument. No need to go further afield for some truly stunning hiking, with a nice dose of local culture and warming, winter sun as an added ...read morebonus!
It was our first foreign trip for two years, and we enjoyed it overall. The Covid safety measures were affective, and we appreciated Cema arranging for tests at our hotel the day before departure. I would add that the New Year's Eve celebrations surpassed expectations - the food and the entertainment were excellent.
We booked a walking holiday that was rated easy. The walks were really interesting and the distances were not too long. The underfoot terrain was very rough and made for hard going. When we walked the aqueduct, there were very severe drops to one side. With uneven tracks, the potential for a catastrophic fall was evident. I felt uncomfortable on ...read more more than one occasion, even though it was a walk I wanted to do. P.S. The meal at the village was excellent
COVID precautions were taken very seriously in Sri Lanka . The hotels took our temperature and provided hand cleaning regularly. The guide organised our return Covid tests at the penultimate hotel, which was very helpful. I felt very safe travelling during COVID times. The boat company for the whale watching handed out sea sickness tablets. They were ...read more ridiculously strong and I could hardly stay awake! Perhaps I was foolish in accepting them but I think they should come with a warning!
All good, everyone had a great time and the whole package was great. One minor comment, and perhaps this is actually about Costa Rica itself, but none of the places we ate at seemed to do much in the way of kids portions. So, we seemed to waste a lot of food!
4.7
My partner and I were intimidated by the prospect of arranging a week-long trip to Morocco on our own, and Global Journeys and G Adventures made everything so easy. They arranged everything from group activities of camel-riding and medina tours to transportation between three major cities, the Sahara, and everything in between, and our guide continually ...read more offered quality suggestions for restaurants and activities to pursue on our free time. I recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to get a holistic Morocco experience in a compressed time frame!
It was a fabulous trip. Our CEOs Joy and Camilar were professional tour guides with lots of humor and knowledge and caring personalities. Our (me and my husband) highlights were the Gaucho experience with horse riding and Argentinian BBQ and the Iguassu Fall. Beautiful beaches of Brazil and the Christ Redeemer was also spectacular. The tour was well ...read more organised and people were kind. We will consider another tour in the future with Global Journeys and G Adventures. Thanks all.
I have just returned from the G Adventures Nat Geo tour through Portugal and Spain. This was my first small group tour as a solo traveler and the experience exceeded my expectations. Our Chief Experience Officer, Fredy was absolutely fantastic and almost immediately created a feeling of family within our small group of 7. The passion that Fredy has ...read more for both Portugal and Spain quickly rubbed off on everyone.
The Nat Geo tour provided the opportunity to visit amazing UNESCO World Heritage sites with knowledgeable guides in attendance to provide history and information. As well as the itinerary and the amazing food as recommended by Fredy, the biggest thing I will take out of my tour was the strong relationships built on the tour as we got to share this fantastic journey together. I will definitely sign up for another G Adventures small group tour again.
The Nat Geo tour provided the opportunity to visit amazing UNESCO World Heritage sites with knowledgeable guides in attendance to provide history and information. As well as the itinerary and the amazing food as recommended by Fredy, the biggest thing I will take out of my tour was the strong relationships built on the tour as we got to share this fantastic journey together. I will definitely sign up for another G Adventures small group tour again.
Seven wonderful days in Sicily. Enjoyed the exploration of the south coast . Saw lots of architecture, archeological sites, coast lines, experience the cities. Loved the cooking session. I only wished that a trip to Mount Aetna would have been included. It was a wonderful trip because we were a great group with an also great group leader.
It was a wonderful trip everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime. I went to Falkland Island, South Georgia Islands and Antarctica twice, both trips were excellent but I will recommend the January cruise if you like to see more penguins especially if you want to see those baby chicks still in the nest with mummy. Cabin was simple and clean, ...read more dining room staffs were excellent, always welcome you, greet you with your name and smile, help you anyway they can, I don't know how they can remember everyone's name. They remembered my Asian name, my drink and my cabin number. I'm not interested in food, everyone said meals were excellent and plentiful, many thanks to Hannah who makes booking online so easy. I gave 2 stars for entertainment that was because I never went to the bar at night.
Laos was unexpectedly surprising and we were very impressed with this tour. The people are very laid back and Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang are both incredible places. Great tour overall and Georgie was fantastic as always. Highly recommend.
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