Explore –
Based in the United Kingdom, Explore has been offering small group adventure tours for over 35 years with a wide range of options, including walking and trekking tours, wildlife tours, cycling tours, multisport tours, polar voyages, rail journeys, family adventure holidays and more. This innovative company is also known for catering to solo travelers, with often half of their groups comprised of solo travelers of varying ages. Small groups of around 14-16 people are led by an Explore Tour Leader who knows the country they are leading in like the back of their hand.
While not a luxury operator, Explore lets travelers choose from three styles of travel: Simply Explore, Classic Explore, and Premium Explore. Simply Explore tours are affordable and flexible. You’ll be traveling on trains, buses, or even rickshaws, ferries and taxis. You’ll stay at simple hotels or family-run guesthouses, usually in twin rooms with private bathrooms, and sometimes in multi-share rooms with shared facilities. Fewer sights and activities are included on these tours, leaving plenty of free time.
Classic Explore tours are packed with activities and excursions, including the famous sights as well as little known places far from the usual tourist haunts. Guests can expect comfortable mid-range hotels with twin rooms and en-suite bathrooms, and also guesthouses, lodges or other local accommodations, depending on the itinerary. You will typically be traveling in private air-conditioned vehicles, but may also travel via trains, ferries, flights, local buses, and four-wheel-drives. These tours cover more key sights but allow plenty of time to explore independently.
On Premium Explore tours guests enjoy days packed with adventure and activity, followed by relaxing nights in the comfort of carefully hand-picked accommodations (usually 4 star standard or above), selected for their character, location or local importance. In India for example, you may stay in a Maharaja’s palace or a converted Rajput fort.
Explore’s multisport Activity Tours offer an array of outdoor adventures like canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, canyoning, rock climbing, diving, snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking and more.