Explore Worldwide Avis 

On a recent Explore trip, on arrival at one of the hotels I was unexpectedly separated from the group and told I would be staying in the guesthouse, used by the guide and driver, as one of the hotels guests needed to extend their stay. The guesthouse was located further away from the town, across a main road, and had to be accessed through a petrol station and past car parks (and drunks on the pavement). I didn't feel comfortable walking alone in the evening so didn't venture out. As a solo female traveler, this was completely inappropriate. There was no consultation or apology from the Guide.

I’ve been waiting for a response from Explore since 30/9/24, having emailed, chased & had auto replies, from their Customer Relations and Customer Services Teams so they are fully aware & have all the details - Unacceptable!

UPDATE: After being reassured this was being dealt with personally, and again having to chase ... I was offered £45 compensation!

Recently went on Maldives Dhoni cruise offered by Explore other name Voyages Maldives. Absolute disgrace. Food served morning toast with jam fewer fruits, Lunch tons of pasta and minimum protein, dinner same as lunch. At the end the crew said to the passengers that we have to tip them, as this is by Explore policies and signed paper which was untrue. I did contact Explore asking them, why crew is begging for money, first they said that it will be nice to tip them, when I asked is this by Maldivian law or Explore policy they then said its optional. So why are you telling your staff to beg to tips, the tip is deserved and only paid when passenger is happy, Utter disgrace. Th cabins are so tiny no AC nothing, they didn't even provided a shampoo, we had to take shower with hand gel, and all this for £1700 a piece, the coffee and tea was also not to standards. the only good thing on this boat was that the crew was very friendly and nice. Most of the time we were in water, some of the snorkeling activities were rubbish, team leader last two days was non-existent he didn't seem bother to give any explanation, sleeping the whole two days, we stayed on the boat most of the time, barely seen any island or stepped foot on. I will never use this company again.

I decided to write a review as the rating (3.6) does not reflect my experience and I am thinking that the people who had a great experience do not often write reviews. I was a new Explore customer and recently went on two tours - Turkey In Depth and Maldive Dhoni. Both were great trips. Lots of fun. The guides were great - big shout out to Ozgur in Turkey who was so knowledgeable and he was so responsive on everything. I learnt so much about Turkey - things I would never have known from guide books. He felt like a good friend - looking out for everyone - someone we could count on. The trip to the Maldives with our guide Moussa was great too. The food was great, the snorkelling was superb and the Dhoni was super clean and cozy. We had so many laughs and comraderie. Practically everyone I met had been on multiple trips with Explore and were loyal customers - some nearly 30 trips!. After my experience with Explore, I can only say the trips were wonderful. They were well priced, we saw a lot - I came back healthier and fitter than when I went. I will definately use them again.

I have just returned from 2 weeks in South Africa and we had an amazing time. Our tour guide Rowan Moon was brilliant, he was extremely knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make our trip memorable. I would recommend this trip to anyone!

Recent holiday touring Morocco. Disappointed at holiday structure- really 2 days shorter than advertised; but Explore unhelpful with flights - didn't seem to care; booked transport from arrival airport not there - another company rep helped us out. Trip notes gobbledygook and wrong. Just seemed as if Explore really didn't care, which is really different from how they used to be.

This was one of the best tours I have been on. I loved everything about it from the tour leader we had to the experiences we got to participate in and my fellow travellers being a smaller group and oh my gosh the food...outstanding! You will not be disappointed travelling with Explore, I am even looking at the foodie tour next.

I have just returned from a trip to South Africa. It was well organised, every day we did something different and interesting. The trips success was down to the Tour Leader in many ways. HIs name was Rowan Moon. I have been on several group tours like this, and have to say he was exceptional. He went out of his way to keep the group informed, getting us to each location on time , making sure we were aware of any dangers (for example where not to go in Cape Town), He was fun and informative, clearly passionate about his job and his country and did Explore proud!

Would highly recommend the Highlights of Vietnam & Cambodia tour. A fairly packed itinerary, as you'd expect when you're hitting some of the highlights of these beautiful countries, but still enough 'down time' to step away & do things at your own pace for a bit. Fantastically flexible tour guide, Diem, ensured everyone got what they wanted from their trip, with local guides in Cambodia giving you a real insight into the temples, their history & stories. The best bit of it all, coming home and genuinely answering the "how was your holiday?" question with "I honestly don't know where to start...it was incredible from start to finish!" - thank you Explore!

Have done 14 tours with Explore over the past 20 years. I love that the guide is always born locally and has a passion for his or her own country. Also that as a single woman I have felt included in evening meals out. So pleased I was able to travel at a younger age - too unfit now..

Recently returned from the Highlights of Sri Lanka trip and loved it! I couldn't fault this itinerary, it hits all of the highlights all in one week - from leopard spotting and climbing Sigiriya at sunset to exploring the beautiful temples. Plus, we even had time for a free day at the beach. Our tour leader, Ish, was amazing, knowledgeable and kind.

Awful company. Explore have gone downhill over the last few years to the point where the CEO seems be in his Ivory Tower running an organisation with misleading advertising, expensive flight bookings, inferior accommodation and a customer service team that just doesn’t provide a good enough service.
Profit now seems to be the main point of Explore, not Customer Satisfaction.

I just returned from a most memorable walking tour of the Amalfi coast which was made possible by their excellent guide - Peter Meyers who I found highly professional, knowledgeable and above all the most compassionate guide I have had.

Ram 25/10

My family and I travelled to Sri Lanka and the Maldives on their Family Sri Lanka and Maldives Adventure and it really was the 'holiday of a lifetime' for all of us. Every day presented us with new experiences and adventures, from climbing Pidurangala Rock to watch the sunset over iconic Sigiriya, birdwatching on a lake, firelit barbecues, elephant watching safaris, train and tractor rides, visiting a tea factory and wild swimming in secret spots off the tourist trail. And the best bit was that after all of that, the holiday wasn't over ! We then flew to the Maldives for a sublime 5 days cruising around the atolls on a traditional dhoni boat with the most superb snorkeling I'd never imagined.

Tour leaders Sam in Sri Lanka and Musa in the Maldives did a great job at keeping the itinerary running smoothly and the 5 families travelling in the right place at the right time.

Accommodation was an interesting mix including treehouses and a tented camp alongside more traditional hotels.

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a fantastic walking tour along the Amalfi Coast, expertly organized by Explore Worldwide. As a last-minute birthday treat for my 50s, I reached out to Explore and was delighted with their ability to accommodate my request.

From the moment I contacted them, I was impressed by their friendly and efficient service. The team at Explore quickly put together a personalized itinerary that perfectly suited my interests and fitness level. They were also incredibly helpful in providing recommendations for tourist attractions and dining options in the region.

My tour guide, Gennaro, was exceptional. His knowledge of the Amalfi Coast was vast, and he shared fascinating insights into the history, culture, and local traditions of the region. Gennaro's passion for the area was contagious, and he made the walking tour both informative and enjoyable.

I stayed at Luna Agerola Agriturismo, a charming and picturesque accommodation nestled in the hills above Amalfi. The staff at the agriturismo were incredibly kind and hospitable, and the property itself was a peaceful oasis.

Overall, my experience with Explore was exceptional. They exceeded my expectations in every way, from the quality of the tour to the professionalism and friendliness of their staff. I would highly recommend Explore Walking tours to anyone looking to explore the Amalfi Coast.

Fantastic family trip to India!
We travelled on the family Golden Triangle trip and had an amazing experience. It was our first group tour as a family and while we were a little apprehensive we needn't have been - the families on our trip were all lovely, the itinerary interesting to all ages and while this trip is fast paced and busy, we felt like we got to see so much in a short amount of time. Highly recommend this trip, and for anyone worrying about doing a group tour with children - don't!

I have taken numerous trips with Explore, many with friends that I have referred, but due their lack of effective communication and courtesy via phone and email, along with various booking & travel problems, we will no longer be using this company in the future.

All to say, in this day and age of technology, one should be able to easily book a “canned” trip efficiently with accurate and up to date information, and not have an unpleasant experience akin to buying a used car.

“Customer service” rep mislead me into thinking only a portion (extra fee for a private room) was being refunded as they couldn’t accommodate that request, when the reality is that they cancelled my whole participation in the tour. I now have a week to plan my own entire, suddenly solo, trip myself, as my flights are already booked. Their “On Request” policy is a money grab that is unclear and unfair to customers looking for an enjoyable trip planning experience: they’ll take your money BEFORE checking if there is space available in hotels, and if there isn’t, oops too bad, you get refunded, but it obviously doesn’t cover expenses you’ve paid outside of the tour (flights, travel insurance, extra experiences, etc). You also can’t get in contact with anyone on weekends, which is when most people have the time to actually plan their travel. Overall, horrible experience and neither I or anyone I know will be using Explore again.

I'm trying to cancel a holiday with Explore Worldwide, but there is no facility to cancel my holiday, which I 24 hours ago.

It's shocking that you can't cancel, I've sent numerous messages to them, but no reply

I had an amazing holiday in Croatia - Explore's Dalmatian Island Hopping holiday, such a beautiful country. I travelled as a solo customer, as did most of the group, and we quickly bonded. We were guided by Damier, an excellent guide, who was so passionate and knowledgeable about his country and its diverse history. He also shared his own personal stories of previous conflicts he'd experienced which really helped understand the more recent history of Croatia.
The holiday is packed with loads of activities and sights, but there's also down-time to relax. There are so many islands just off the coast, all full of nature and history. There are only so many we could visit, but I'd go back again.
The quality of the accommodation was excellent. I'd certainly recommend this holiday for a small group guided tour where pretty much everything is included.

Recently went to Nicaragua with Explore on their Land of Lakes and Volcanoes tour. Was an amazing trip, our guide was fantastic and Explore dealt with slight itinerary changes really well (due to volcanic activity), which meant that we didn't miss out on anything, and we actually ended up having more than one unexpected and amazing life changing experiences on this trip. Already booked my next trip with them!