Explore Tour Reviews

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!

Once again a great experience with Explore. Customer service was good - a real human to speak to. We had to change from Cuba to Egypt and this wasn't an issue. Fair refund policy encourages me to return to Explore. Indeed I am already booked on my next holiday with you.

This was my first experience of a tour. Everyone on the trip was lovely - it was a really fun, interesting group and everyone got on well. We seemed very like minded and it all gelled. My biggest comment again would be the pace - it felt frenetic at times. ALSO - because we went out for dinner in buses (most evenings) it wasn't possible to get back ...read more until everyone was ready. This resulted in half of us being forced to stay out later than we wanted. Some wanted to drink till 2:30, but most didn't - but even coming back at 11:30pm or so felt like a very, very long day, if we began at 8:30am and only had 30 mins to change clothes in the middle. Perhaps more dinners near the hotel so people could leave when they wanted? It was all very exhausting, which was the one downside. I have lots of energy but .....wow! After a few days the exhaustion does kick in.

The trip was fascinating and we were given lots of information about the disaster. A little longer in the Chernobyl Museum would have been good but probably time will not allow for that. The day in Kiev was very busy and enjoyable - amazing that we got to see so much in one day.

Originally I had planned to go on a completely different trip with another company which was cancelled at short notice for Covid reasons. Almost simultaneously I received an e-mail from you advertising a range of trips and the Toukbal mountain trip was a perfect fit - one call later and your very helpful team had put the wheels in motion to see whether ...read more I could attend and in a couple of days I was booked on with some very helpful guidelines on what was required. Having just finished this excellent break I would like to say a big thank you to all in Explore - your business has had a tough 2 years and I am absolutely delighted that I booked with you. I doubt that I will do this trip again because the positive memories are so strong that they could not be repeated - but I will absolutely recommend the trip and your company to anyone and everyone. And I will now start looking through your brochure to see what I can do in

A very enjoyable cycling tour along a stunningly beautiful coastline. The cycling was of a moderate standard with the occasional challenging hills, but the views and scenery soon revived the aching limbs. The tour leaders were excellent and the local city guides knowledgeable and interesting. All the hotels were selected for their locations with great ...read more scenery, views, beaches and restaurant choices. Local food was of good quality, quantity and affordable, as was the wine! A highly recommended trip.

I’d walked most of the walks already and enjoyed walking them again so would be interested in guided walks to different hills. No complaint about the itinerary which was very apt for the group. The hotel was fab - I’m at the point that I’m happy to pay a bit more for a nice hotel as I don’t get that much holiday time. Poor WiFi was only an issue bc ...read more I broke my laptop en route and couldn’t action a repair, but the owner told me they will have fibre soon. The guides were fun - the banter between them kept things light. Loved the dogs on the trip too. Was good to have two guides so the large group could be split to two different levels. Scarfell Pike is just a slog. Wouldnt do it again. Confidence building I think for everyone that Duane was a member of mountain rescue. First trip with Explore and I’d defo consider another trip. Thanks.

I thought it was very varied and interesting, from castles to making mozzarella, and churches to bakeries. I very much enjoyed the coastal walk to the bauxite quarry which some previous reviewers had criticised. The restaurants organised for the group meals were also very good and varied, which was great at the current time of the virus.

A thoroughly enjoyable trip even though none of the group had originally planned to be in the Lakes. The group itself was excellent as a whole and when split in the smaller 'covid' groups - lots of fun, experience, laughter and shared experiences. A real treat, well done Explore for thinking on your feet and creating this trip when we couldn't go to ...read more where we'd all planned.

Explore adjusted the trip shortly before departure to accommodate the rule of six. Our group of 15 was split into 3 groups of 5 plus a leader in each group. It meant Explore had to provide an additional two leaders but this ensured the trip ran as safely as possible. We saw the other groups out on the walks and there was cheerful banter between us although ...read more we never mixed. It was great to be out on the road with Explore again albeit in strange circumstances. They did everything possible for the trip to run smoothly and safely, while complying with all the current guidelines. The walks were really enjoyable. They were mostly undulating with varied scenery. Would recommend this trip as a good short break in the UK.

All in all a very good value for money trip, we saw lots of an interesting country and met with quite a few local people. We particularly liked the 2 meals we had in private houses. The food was excellent and the hosts extremely friendly. These were excellent choices. Also the night spent at the Erg Chebbi desert camp as part of the trip was an added ...read more bonus, as were the star lit sky and wonderful sunset and sunrise. The desert camel ride also an experience. I must say our group all got on well together and we have had contact since arriving home. An excellent trip.

The notes posted each day by Haymar explaining wake up / breakfast / transport times and what we were going to be doing, needed to take / wear in support of the trip notes were excellent. Nice touch with added drawings. I took a photo each day and used it a few times. Brilliant added information nicely presented in own hand writing / drawing. Made me ...read more feel special.

This trip was amazing and definitely worth the cost. The variety of activities provided made it totally memorable. The only think I would possibly change would be to fly back down from Chiang Mai to Bangkok rather than taking the overnight train again.

Group travel was a new thing for us and South America was a destination that we approached with trepidation but the lure of remote Patagonia provided the inspiration to overcome our fears. We met our fellow travellers in the city of Buenos Aires, the vibrant home of the tango with a history that enveloped us with both intrigue and admiration. It’s a ...read more city with a European heart and a modern skin whose soul comes from its inhabitants who love life, eat late and gather in the cafés to chat away the night. Our group of 18 were all of similar age with a spirit for adventure and a knack for loving life – a perfect fit. We spent the next 17 days in one of the most fascinating destinations on the planet and thanks to Global Journeys and Explore it ran like a finely tuned Swiss watch, never missing a beat. Our tour guide was a delight and made sure our every need was met and with an impeccable plan for every stop, soon gained our confidence that every recommendation would provide the best possible outcome.

The itinerary was amazing encompassing the most breathtaking scenery; Tierra del Fuego and the city of Ushuaia was the conduit to the Beagle Channel and the infamous Cape Horn. Across the border into Chile and Torres del Paine National Park with its snow covered peaks, soaring Condors and abundant wildlife was the perfect backdrop for many a trek. Further north and back into Argentina, the Perito Moreno Glacier was mesmerising as it creaked and groaned and shed its ice into the waters of Lago Agentino. El Chalten was a remote mecca for hikers and climbers and the track to Mt Fitz Roy provided a challenge for those who were brave or a more gentle surprise for those who were not. The Iguazu extension was a complete contrast to the south and we were plunged into tropical jungle and the river itself on one of the many boat tours that ferry you to the base of the falls. It was an unforgettable journey that will inspire us to explore more of this remarkable continent.

The Real Greece is not in Athens. It's here in Islands such as Tinos and Naxos. Clearest waters ever. Crooked alleyways and perfect coffee shops. There is no crime. Hike the Greek landscape and look back over towards the dazzling coastline.

This was the most expensive (by far) holiday I've ever taken and it exceeded expectations. We were fortunate that the group of 7 + guide all got along very well together. There's a comment on your website from a previous trip that there wasn't enough walking, and this was a concern for me in advance, but looking back I think it was just right for me. ...read more The members of the group had different walking capacities, and our guide ensured we were each able to achieve our respective goals.

It was an amazing trip. The experience of the wild life and the rain forest was magical and the work going on to stop deforestation and educate young people was good to see.
We saw and became a part of life in Madagascar as it really is. The visit to the missionary centre was challenging but was a really thought provoking experience - as was the visit ...read more to the school.

Japan was not as expensive as I thought it would be. Great rail service and I'd recommend this to trip to others considering travelling to Japan for a couple of weeks. Highly recommend Explore!

Overall we very much enjoyed the trip - we had a good group, and the country is amazing. The only thing that let it down was the standards of maintenance in the accommodation - which were basic issues that should have been easy and inexpensive to fix - and a bit of a lack of leadership from the guide. Better information of availability of card payments ...read more in the hotels would also have been useful.