Explore's tours have always had sustainability at their heart - we want to ensure that our small groups have minimal footprint and maximum positive impact on the places we visit. That's why we choose small, locally owned and run businesses to support – from local partners and tour leaders, to hotels and restaurants. It's why our groups always meet and interact with locals on their holidays. It's why we support charities and initiatives all over the world, and why we set up the Explore Foundation to bring our customers and the destinations and communities that we visit even closer. ....less

Responsible tourism is one of the driving principles of Explore. We care deeply about travelling in a way that positively impacts the people and places we visit.

Sustainability is embedded within the fibre of Explore, it emanates from the inside out. But as we enter a new decade it is clearer than ever that our world needs help, and Explore has created a sustainability strategy based on the 2015 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The goals define a common framework of action and language to address the world’s most urgent challenges, and whilst all of the goals interweave to underpin sustainable development, we have chosen five where we can have the biggest impact.

Our primary focus will be on climate change. We have a comprehensive carbon strategy and have detailed more about our commitments below. This will be supported by continuing and elevating our attention on education and training, without which long term change would not be possible. We aim to be single use plastic free across all trips by 2021, we have a new robust animal welfare policy and crucially we will be transparent, honest and collaborative in our efforts to lead our industry in responsible travel. ....less

Sustainability is embedded within the fibre of Explore, it emanates from the inside out. But as we enter a new decade it is clearer than ever that our world needs help, and Explore has created a sustainability strategy based on the 2015 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The goals define a common framework of action and language to address the world’s most urgent challenges, and whilst all of the goals interweave to underpin sustainable development, we have chosen five where we can have the biggest impact.

Our primary focus will be on climate change. We have a comprehensive carbon strategy and have detailed more about our commitments below. This will be supported by continuing and elevating our attention on education and training, without which long term change would not be possible. We have a new robust animal welfare policy and crucially we will be transparent, honest and collaborative in our efforts to lead our industry in our approach responsible travel. ....less

We want wildlife to be wild, and nature to be natural
Explore will never knowingly compromise the welfare of any animal for the purpose of our trips. We want to protect animals, keep them wild and contribute towards the best welfare standards in the industry. We launched our policy in 2021, and have reviewed it annually to ensure we are continually improving and monitoring our impacts.

In short, we operate a no contact policy and have implemented a traffic light system which categorises every interaction we have with animals, which itself is independently audited each year. We also know that the change and evolution that we need is not possible without education, learning and understanding, ourselves very much included. So we are working with experts to build training modules, to learn with our suppliers about what is and isn’t possible and ultimately bring everyone on the journey with us and make continual improvements along the way. Collective change is crucial for long term sustainability.

The world around us is absolutely fundamental to our wellbeing and happiness; from the air we breathe and water we drink - to the landscapes we visit. We wouldn’t be able to EXPLORE without healthy ecosystems. We continue to work very closely with experts ANIMONDIAL and Wild Welfare, plus our partners Rewilding Britain, Cool Earth, and ecollective, so that eventually we can guarantee that a holiday with us is positive for the wonderful world in which we live. ....less

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Being a responsible company is a large statement, something that has to be entwined within the very fibre of a company. Discover the charities and partnerships we support as part of this.

Klimate
Water-to-Go
Wild Welfare
ecollective
Cool Earth
Ripple Effect
Derek Moore Foundation
Rewilding britain
Mahouts
Animondial
Toilet Twinning
Lone Buffalo
Ecologi ....less

At Explore, we do everything we can to ensure responsible travel.

Covid-19 refund promise
10 Days no-fee flexibility
Financially Secure
Full refund if the trip doesn't run


All travellers vaccinated or COVID-Negative
Detailed protocols for hygiene; Social Distancing and robust Safety Standards ....less

Explore has had sustainable travel in its DNA since its conception in 1981. Having a positive impact on the places we visit and the people we meet is at the heart of what we do. We are therefore so proud that Explore is a Certified B Corporation. As a Certified B Corp in the travel industry, we're counted among businesses that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.

B Corp, or B Corporation, certification recognises companies that meet a high standard of social and environmental performance. The B stands for Benefit for all. This is a movement to change our economic system so that it positively impacts all stakeholders - workers, communities, customers, and our planet. It focuses on making all businesses, in all industries, a force for good.

Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. Having B Corp status identifies a company as meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices. ....less

On our trips you'll see a mix of famous sights and hidden gems that others miss, or don't even know about. As travellers, we want to experience a country, not merely observe it. We'll take you closer to the country, its culture and people, often in unscripted, spontaneous, impossible-to-replicate ways. You'll come home having seen and experienced the country in a way that other travellers might never have.

If you book a guided trip, like one of our small group tours, your guide (or tour leader) will use their expert insider knowledge and local connections to make the most of unexpected opportunities. You might be invited to watch the sunrise from a lighthouse or to join family Diwali celebrations. They'll be on hand to make sure your trip goes smoothly, taking care of logistics. Our tour leaders are all hand-picked and trained by our experienced team to ensure consistently high standards.

Our average group size is just 12; big enough to meet like-minded people but small enough to get to the heart of a destination. All sorts of people travel on our trips; groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends united by an adventurous spirit and a sense of fun. You can call us to learn more about the group already booked on a particular trip (age range, solos vs couples etc). ....less

Since launching in 1981 with only six tours in a four-page brochure, Explore has grown to offer over 500 trips; from classic ‘discovery’ group tours, solo traveller holidays and active family adventures, to walking holidays and cycling trips. Choose from over 120 countries and explore cultures, landscapes, wildlife and communities from Asia to Africa, the Arctic to the Americas.

Our Manifesto -
You TRAVEL to your aunt’s house for Easter.
Some people TRAVEL to work.
Are you travelling for business? they ask.
Now EXPLORING. That’s what quickens the pulse.
That’s what Mark Twain did. And Alice in Wonderland.
If travel is the route from A to B, exploring is the meandering road.
It’s the unmarked side street, or the curious turn off.
When you explore, you don’t just focus on getting somewhere,
your eyes are wide open, your senses are alert.
It would be easy to follow the crowds to the famous sights and check them off a list.
But we’ll never just do that.
We prefer going a little deeper, in smaller groups.
Making friends, treading lightly, and being mindful of local communities.
If travel is asking for directions, exploring is taking the time to sit down with a stranger.
If travel lets you see the world, exploring makes you feel it.
Don’t just travel, Explore! ....less

ABTOT (5207), ATOL (2595) & IATA, Certified B Corp ....less

We've been named a Which? Recommended Provider of escorted tours in July 2022. Feefo's Premium Trusted Service Award ....less