What is the best time of year to travel on an Explore tour?

Many of our tours are planned to coincide with the best climatic conditions at each destination. For example, in India we tend to avoid the wet Monsoon months and plan most of our tours to run between October and March when conditions are at their best for travel and sightseeing. Climate information for all the destinations we feature can be found on our Weather Page.

What's the role of the Tour Leader?

Our type of exploration is not resort-based: you follow an itinerary, which involves a variety of transport, sites, accommodation and activities, often in far-flung areas. So by their very nature, all our trips require specially trained Tour Leaders to ensure their smooth running.

All Explore Tour Leaders speak English - whether they are based in the UK (the majority), or from the local community (where specific local knowledge is essential). Their role ranges from anchor man/woman to ambassador, to... arranging that impromptu birthday party on a mountain top! We receive hundreds of letters of praise for our Tour Leaders - a testament to their calibre and humanity.

How fit do I have to be to go on an Adventure Holiday?

It depends on the type of trip you want to take. Some trips, such as the trek to Everest Base Camp or the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, are classified as strenuous and should only be undertaken by those with plenty of hill walking experience and an above average level of fitness.

However, the vast majority of tours are well within the capability of any healthy individual leading a normal, active life. Indeed, on most tours, an open mind and a natural curiosity for people and places is more important than a high degree of physical fitness.

What is the average size of the group?

Our group size varies and is indicated on each tour information page on this website and in the brochure. Most trips average 15 or 16 people: a few have a maximum of about 25.

Are your tours suitable for single travellers?

Our tours are sold on a twin-share basis, which means that - with the exception of a handful of tours where twin-share is simply not available to us - there is no compulsory single supplement. In fact, this has long been a great incentive for the solo traveller - along with the fact that at the heart of a group and in the hands of a Tour Leader you will feel less conspicuous and safer. To state the obvious, our tours attract like-minded people, so you are also very likely to make friends with travellers from all over the world, making it a much more sociable and fun experience all round. Usually, in an average group of 16 people, half of them will have booked individually. You will share a room or a tent with somebody of the same gender, and we normally match people up by age.

We also offer a 'single room option', whereby you can pay a supplement and pre-book a single room although it should be noted that the single room option is not necessarily available on every night of the tour.

Where is the best place to change money whilst on tour?

Each dossier advises you in what form you should take your money on your chosen trip, be it cash, credit cards or traveller's cheques, or any combination of the three. Once on tour, your Tour Leader will be able to advise you the best time and place to change money into the local currency.

How suitable are your tours for children?

On our adult tours we take all ages of travellers from 14-79 years. However we don't often take many people under 20 years therefore your children may be the only ones in the group. It is important that they have a grown up attitude to fit in with the rest of the group.

Of course our Family Adventures are ideal for children and adults alike. The absolute minimumage is 5 years, though certain tours are older.

I've never been on one of your tours before, what should I expect?

Adventure Travel can be addictive! However you will need a sense of adventure and a sense of humour as conditions are not always how you would like them to be. In third world countries you should leave your western standards behind. There may not always be hot showers, toilets may be long drops or communal. Road conditions can be bumpy and what looks like a short distance on the map may take hours due to the bumpy terrain and many potholes.

It is advisable to be patient when changing money, buying stamps, crossing borders, waiting for public transport, checking-in at hotels, airports etc as time is relatively unimportant. All this considered you will have a different very memorable holiday, one where you can learn about the country, meet the locals and really experience their way of life as well as having some fun along the way.

How safe are the countries you visit?

Some of the countries we visit on our tours are 'developing' countries where the standard of living is lower than we are used to in the west. As a result, safety and security are important issues for all adventure travellers, especially those travelling independently. One of the best ways to increase your level of personal security is to travel in a small group. Not only does this make you a less tempting target for potential thieves, but you can take advantage of your tour leader's local knowledge, often built up over a number of tours, to adopt suitable precautions for the area you are visiting, so avoiding potential trouble spots.

How much spending money should I take on tour?

On each trip dossier we give an idea of the amount of spending money you should take on tour. We tell you how many meals you'll need to budget for and what the average cost of these will be in the country you're visiting. In addition, we give the cost of everything from a cup of tea to a bottle of wine, and list prices for optional sightseeing trips not included in the itinerary. You should also budget for extra money to cover items of a personal nature such as souvenirs, laundry and tipping.

If I go on a camping tour, will I have to help with the cooking?

On most of our camping tours, especially trekking trips to the Andes or Himalayas, you will not be required to help with cooking or any other camp chores. These will be done for you by support staff (porters, sherpas, cooks, etc). However, on a small number of camping trips, especially in Africa, you will be required to put up your tent and help with some camp chores. Further information about the nature of each of our camping tours is given in the relevant tour dossier.

How are rooms allocated?

About half the people who holiday with Explore come alone. Those that do will share a room/tent with someone of the same gender. If you are a smoker, you will be asked not to smoke in your accommodation unless you are sharing with another (consenting) smoker.

Will there be any free time whilst on tour?

Going on a small group holiday with Explore does not mean that you have to spend all your time with the rest of the group. In fact, on each trip we build in free time for personal exploration. It could be shopping in the local market, visiting (or revisiting) more of the local sights, or simply relaxing with a good book in a quiet corner. Similarly, whilst a number of meals will be taken with your fellow travellers, on most tours there will be plenty of opportunity to find your own restaurant for a quiet evening meal with a friend or partner should you prefer.