Staff Blogs

Explore MD Ashley Toft visited Peru in 2011 to Trek the Inca Trail. Share his experience of this once in a lifetime trip.
Ever since I was a tour leader for Explore 20 years ago, I've yearned to get to Peru and to trek the Inca Trail. At last the opportunity arose in 2011, when I co-hosted a travel agent familiarisation trip. A great opportunity to showcase the best of adventure travel and to show our partners in the industry what Explore is really about. And our visit didn't disappoint. After a day of acclimatisation in lovely colonial Cusco, followed by a dousing as we rafted down the Urubamba River it was time to start the trek.

We stopped off in historic Ollantaytambo to get provisions in a tiny shop in the main square, which seemed to have everything, from energy bars and batteries, to walking poles and suncream. Our 4 day trek started at KM 82 where everyone goes through a checkpoint; it was good to see that the numbers on the trail were being strictly controlled, and actually having so few people on the trail really added to the feeling that we were doing something very special.

As we set off following the Urubamba river, it soon became clear that it was going to be a spectacular trek, and it wasn't long before the snow-capped peaks came into sight. We met our porters at the first lunch stop where they had prepared a lovely lunch for us, before sprinting ahead to set-up camp. As the sun went down on the first evening some of the porters took us to visit the school in the tiny mountain village where we were staying. It was the next morning, after our first night under canvas that the porters gathered, most wearing their colourful ponchos due to the early morning chill, to introduce themselves one by one, and to tell us something about their familes. We reciprocated, and this really broke the ice, especially when some of us decided to show off our rather rusty Spanish!

The porters were integral to the success of the trip. The head porter and guide had the respect of everyone and worked brilliantly with our Tour Leader Jorge, to ensure the whole group completed the trek; even the few on our trip who were not experienced trekkers. They were also great company, clapping as we made it to camp, providing hot water to wash and soak our weary feet in, and always around to lend a hand. Even though most of us could feel the effects of altitude as we climbed to the highest point at Warmiwanusqa (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4200m, there was plenty of time for everyone to go at their own pace and to enjoy the incredible and far reaching views. The thing that really surprised me about the trek, was the number of amazing Inca sites along the way. I had no idea that we would come across so many incredibly well preserved ancient cities and towns, with such great names as Llaqtapata and Winaywayna.

And no matter how many times you have seen photographs or video of Machu Picchu, you will be blown away by the view as you step through the Sun Gate and peer down on the ancient city from above. It even brought a tear to the eye of a hardened adventure traveller and ex tour leader. I felt incredibly privileged to have walked the trail into Machu Picchu, especially as it was the 100th Anniversary of its re-discovery by Hiram Bingham.

Our very own Hannah Methven, Product Manager for Asia, recently visted Bangladesh.  Read her personal account of this fascinating country.

I travelled to the Galapagos Islands during a holiday to Ecuador last year and it was the highlight of my trip. Being an animal lover, I’ve always been intrigued to see them and I certainly wasn’t left disappointed. In just three days I saw more wildlife than I would have expected to see in three weeks. The biggest surprise though was how confident the animals were with humans - birds land more or less on your feet and iguanas laze on the beach, not even flinching when people walk by them.  One sea-front hotel is even frequented by a sea lion who’s a regular around the pool, and takes it upon himself to spend most of his days lazing on a sun-bed next to the guests!

While on Santa Cruz I met the famous Lonesome George – the last tortoise of his kind, as well as a host of other Giant Tortoise species whose shells vary from island to island and are what helped Charles Darwin develop his theory of evolution. It’s really interesting to see how the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands has evolved. I also managed to spot some blue-footed boobies which really are beautiful birds.

It’s not just the wildlife above the water that’s endemic to the Galapagos Islands. I had the fantastic opportunity to join a boat trip to Santa Fe, where I went snorkelling with sea lions, sharks and turtles. I also spotted marine iguanas which have evolved to swim for prolonged lengths of time underwater while they search for food which is sparse inland. Snorkelling off the coast of Santa Fe was a truly unforgettable experience and to top it all off, a humpback whale jumped out of the water about 200 metres away from me while I was in the water, an experience that you really couldn’t plan.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the most amazing places I have ever visited and I would recommend everyone takes a trip to them at some point in their lives. I definitely hope to return one day to see what other unique wildlife I can find in these enchanting islands.

Experience this all for youselve with our Galapagos Islands Cruise or Ecuador Wildlife Tour

Louise Ponting PR Executive

This was my first trip to Turkey and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I know people often associate Turkey with package beach holidays and sun-soaked touristy resorts but this was an Explore holiday. What really appealed to me about this tour was the fact that it allows you to get away from the beach and see ‘real’ Turkey. 

The tour started in Istanbul - gateway to Asia; here we were able to explore the Blue Mosque, one of the most spectacular buildings I have ever seen. Another fantastic marvel was Hagia Sofia, a Byzantine church, built in the 6^th Century. 

Istanbul, with its numerous street café’s, markets and bazaars had a great buzz about it. We had the opportunity to take a ferry over the Bosporus. This is by far the best place to see the city from both the Asian and European sides and there was also a great selection of markets for that all-important souvenir shopping 

The journey inland from Istanbul was along a modern four-lane highway through stunning scenery to the capital - Ankara. Ankara is largely a modern city; it was founded by Ataturk in the 1920s. Here we were able to see his mausoleum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. This is a very interesting place and particularly focuses on the history of the Hittites, who lived in Turkey years before Christ. 

Travelling south from Ankara, the scenery changed as we moved more inland to the region of Cappadocia. The moonlike landscapes were stunning and very different to anything I have experienced before. Here we were able to explore the subterranean city of Kaymakli. This amazing collection of underground caves was inhabited by Christians who were escaping Arab persecution during the 6-7^th Century. There were also the beautiful churches of Gerome built into volcanic rock. This made a great impression on me. 

From here we travelled on to Konya, one of the holiest cities in Turkey. Here we were able to visit some of the most beautiful mosques and learn about the Whirling Dervishes, an old Islamic sect that was evident in Turkey before the Modern secular state was established.

Another major highlight for me was the town of Kas. This charming harbour town has many nice restaurants overlooking the harbour which serve both Turkish and Western food. It’s a sheer delight to sip a nice glass of wine while watching the sun set over the beautiful turquoise waters of the Eastern Mediterranean. From Kas, the group had a gulet trip out to sea, cruising along the stunning coastline and around numerous Islands. This was a great way to relax and soak up the sun and enjoy a swim in the tranquil, warm waters.

Following on from Kas, the trip took much more of a historic and cultural turn. We were able to visit many of the ancient Roman and Greek sites. For me the best ones were Aphrodisias with its impressive amphitheatre, Caunos with its Citadel which dates back to 400BC and of course Ephesus. The good thing about this trip was that we were able to visit the sites early, before they became too crowded and too hot.

The frozen waterfall at Pamukkale was another great aspect of the tour. This was by far one of the most impressive natural wonders I have seen. Here we could absorb the atmosphere, take pictures and bath in the spa waters which many claim have healing powers.

On the last leg of our journey, we visited the war memorials of Gallipoli - a very moving place. This was particularly important to the Australian and New Zealand members of the group as it was here that many Anzac soldiers lost their lives attempting a landing in World War 1.

So to sum it up, I found that Turkey was one of the most interesting countries I have been to, with much to offer. It had beaches, mountains, spectacular scenery, great food and a varied history that enhanced this wonderful experience.

By Anthony Jay, Adventure Travel Consultant who travelled on Asia Minor Explorer (TU)