Home > Compare Tour & Adventure Operators > Explore vs G Adventures
Explore vs G Adventures
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Explore and G Adventures.The Low Down
Explore Worldwide is a UK adventure travel company that has been around since 1981. They run over 500 small group tours in more than 100 countries around the world with an average of 12 guests. Accommodation is often family run lodgings and guides are passionate locals. Itineraries are a mix of must-sees and who-knews, and guests can choose from different trip styles to suit their interests.Explore recognises that adventure is different for everyone, and their trips range from classic discovery group tours to active adventures such as hiking and cycling. They also have dedicated family trips, themed journeys such as those that focus on wildlife or their limited edition Explore Beyond collection which showcases rare one-off events. Explore have an impressive track record with 96% of past travellers saying they would travel with them again.
G Adventures have impressed us with their ethos, their range of unique itineraries and proven track record with over 100,000 past travellers. Their main competitor in the adventure touring space is Intrepid, with both Operators focused on authentic, affordable small group tours. With over 600 trips around the world and 50,000 departures, G have a stunning range of interesting unique itineraries to choose from, with a focus on South and Central America, Asia and Polar expedition cruising. G Adventures operate dynamic pricing so prices can change daily - upwards if the trip is filling up, and down if they need to fill some spaces. G have also recently incorporated Wellness trips and 18-to-Thirty Somethings adventuresinto their portfolio of trip styles.
Stats
No. of Trips
440
No. of Departures
6,594
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$417
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
No. of Trips
810
No. of Departures
66,067
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$362
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Explore has been taking small groups on adventure holidays all over the world for almost 40 years. The expert team, at home and overseas, works together to create itineraries that leave you feeling that you’ve really explored a destination rather than just visited. You’ll see the highlights, the must-sees, of course. But you’ll also get away from the beaten track, and get a different perspective on your destination. You’ll get closer to a place, its people and cultures.
Our small groups are typically 12 people – small enough to get right into the heart of your destination, but big enough to find like-minded people to share your experiences with. And the glue that holds these groups together is our local tour leaders, who are uniquely placed to add individual and spontaneous moments to each trips – moments that stay with you long after you return home. All sorts of people travel with Explore – our groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends. What unites them is their adventurous spirit and thirst for real travel experiences.
We provide authentic small-group travel, designed by experts and led by experts, with sustainability at its heart and a common desire for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re on a cultural tour of Lebanon, cycling in Vietnam, walking in Italy or exploring Costa Rica with your family, when you’re travelling with Explore you know that you’re in good hands.
G Adventures came from a desire to deliver authentic and responsible small group travel adventures that were equally life-changing for travellers and the communities they visit. And we’re been doing just that for almost 30 years.
Our award-winning trips span seven continents and over 100 countries, giving you meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, as well as offering you the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own.
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Recent Reviews
4.7
This was actually two tours, Portugal and Spain with Felix and the Morocco with Boobker. Felix provided daily summaries of what we would be doing and when. Boobker provided limited and only verbal details. Tipping was an issue across the whole tour with some of the group using "optional" to mean they could contribute either nothing or very little. Boobker ...read more was left in the position where he had no tipping pool and one or two of us had to do all the tipping in Morocco.
We had great variety in fitness levels which slowed us down, especially in Lisbon and Porto - both very hilly! Felix was very knowledgeable and repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure we covered everything, even arranging an additional guide for the Cordoba Mosque/Cathedral. Because Morocco requires licensed guides in each city, Boobker had less opportunity to do this. All accommodation was at least 3 star and most were 4 star. All accommodation was either in the main tourist areas or just outside - very convenient.
We had great variety in fitness levels which slowed us down, especially in Lisbon and Porto - both very hilly! Felix was very knowledgeable and repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure we covered everything, even arranging an additional guide for the Cordoba Mosque/Cathedral. Because Morocco requires licensed guides in each city, Boobker had less opportunity to do this. All accommodation was at least 3 star and most were 4 star. All accommodation was either in the main tourist areas or just outside - very convenient.
I enjoyed learning the history of the three countries visited as well as the current politics and social environment. I liked the capital cities of Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan, as well as the Black Sea resort town of Batumi in Georgia. and many historic churches and monasteries in between. It's a pity though that the time in Tbilisi was rather limited. ...read more It's a city that deserves more sightseeing time. On the other hand, I think there was too much time spent on wineries and wine tastings.
Very good tour. A full tour - 16 people including 10 singles, people from all around the world which was great to see. This was my 3rd tour with Explore. This is graded as a "moderate" tour and was certainly a lot slower paced than my previous trip to Georgia & Armenia. Tour leader and driver were both North Macedonian. Tour leader had a great personality ...read more and was very professional and caring especially when 1 person had a fall and broke a bone in their foot on day 12 of the tour. We had great weather, sunny and warm with an enjoyable 3 night stay in Lake Ohrid and visit to Thassos island in northern Greece. Hotels were well located, being walking distance to town centres. Lots of monasteries and churches, especially compared to the number of ancient sites in northern Greece we visited. Booking with Georgie is always seamless, she provides very prompt, professional and friendly service.
As an introduction to the lakes area, Walk the Lake District was amazing! We had the best sunny weather ever which was unheard of for the entire week. The views were spectacular and the group of people we were with were friendly and fun to be with. The accommodation was first class and the food fantastic. Our walks guide was excellent in both gauging ...read more the fitness level of the group and history of the area. Would I recommend this to anyone? Yes, but be fit because to get the views you have to go up! Hannah was great with keeping me on track with paperwork, made it all very easy.
For me this trip was about getting out in nature. Loved the time spent in Triglav National Park, going for beautiful walks, staying in Bohinj. Fab location. Also Lake Bled. I could easily have spent more time in the mountains and forgone the towns and cities on this itinerary. Clare was a fantastic guide, giving up her two client-free days to take us ...read more on stunning walks etc. I do think the company should retain private driver/bus for the entire day when needed, especially when some public transport e.g. buses are known to be unreliable. Clare was even told by a public bus driver she shouldn’t be putting her people on public buses. Overall, I lived the trip 💚
All in all, this was an excellent trip. The guide provided by Explore was exceptional- could not recommend him more highly. The trip was all it said it would be, and more. We saw places and met people that most tourists never would experience. The cycling was challenging. We hadn’t properly understood that half the tour group would be on e-bikes. This ...read more took a bit of negotiation to keep the group together and not break the morale of the non motorised bike riders.
It became apparent that the group members had received differing information in the lead up to the trip mainly regarding bike specific info about clip in pedals, helmets etc. This was concerning as it did potentially negatively impact the trip. My one little criticism would be that others on the tour had received a ‘last minute’ email, gee-ing them up for the trip. I didn’t receive this and so flew from Australia not feeling 100% sure that the tour would happen. This was further exacerbated when we were met at the airport by a driver who didn’t speak English and holding a mis-spelt hand written sign with no mention of cycling. He also drove very fast and dangerously and was abrupt with some of the group members.
It became apparent that the group members had received differing information in the lead up to the trip mainly regarding bike specific info about clip in pedals, helmets etc. This was concerning as it did potentially negatively impact the trip. My one little criticism would be that others on the tour had received a ‘last minute’ email, gee-ing them up for the trip. I didn’t receive this and so flew from Australia not feeling 100% sure that the tour would happen. This was further exacerbated when we were met at the airport by a driver who didn’t speak English and holding a mis-spelt hand written sign with no mention of cycling. He also drove very fast and dangerously and was abrupt with some of the group members.
4.6
Had travelled with G Adventures in Cambodia before (river cruise to HCM City) and enjoyed it. This trip had good and not so good features. Note, I travelled solo, on a room share basis. Angkor Wat was really worth the return visit as we got to go up to the top level as it was no so crowded as when I was there in Jan 2020. The tour gives you a real feel ...read more for the countryside as opposed to just seeing Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The country towns (except Kratie, which we didn't see any of) were really interesting, each with its features. It was nice to visit businesses with a community emphasis eg silk farm and restaurant as part of the tour and the La Plantation pepper farm (by tuk tuk).
It is worth spending a few extra days in Phnom Penh as there are quite a few places to see that are not included on the tour. Koh Rong island is a good place to relax with a nice beach (very clean, warm shallow water) and a lovely walk to the next village. Food options on the island were very good. Hotel there was very basic for the price (price on booking site 2-3 times the other hotels we stayed in). Our G Adventures CEO was pleasant and helpful with good English. He took us on a tour of his childhood home and small village, showing us the local rice wine factory, etc
That said there are a few downsides to the tour. I chose this trip over Intrepid as it had more free time. However, optional tours took up almost all the free time (total cost about US$250) and there was pressure to do these by both the CEO and other participants. Hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, whilst good, were poorly located (about 2km from city centres). I didn't mind the walk but was not comfortable doing it after about 7pm alone. This was a pity in Siem Reap as the city comes alive at night (in PP it was not such an issue as I had extra days there in a more centrally located hotel). Also, the hotel in Siem Reap was not the one listed in the final itinerary and CEO said it had not been used for sometime (it is still on their itinerary on the website). Hotel in PP was surrounded by motor bike repair places and CEO said there were no recommended eating places nearby (so group had to get tuk tuks into riverside area).
Hotels in other locations were basic but adequate, except Kratie. Tour went to Kratie to see the endangered dolphins. We did this on motorised boats, which simply meant chasing the poor things around making a lot of noise (only 2-4 people per boat) and risking injuring then with the small propellers. This was all we did in Kratie as hotel was on edge of town and it was after a long day's travel. Hotel was really basic as was the food provided (many had cold meals that should have been hot, even though we had to order in advance).
Single supplement is about the same as paying as you go for a separate room (should be half that). Booking with Global Journeys is always easy and this trip was no exception. Tracey even went to the effort of providing the address and contact numbers for the hotels, as GAdventures did not. I would I go with G Adventures again - only to a country I was not confident getting around by myself. If you are a couple you could probably hire a car with driver and stay in better hotels for the price of this tour.
It is worth spending a few extra days in Phnom Penh as there are quite a few places to see that are not included on the tour. Koh Rong island is a good place to relax with a nice beach (very clean, warm shallow water) and a lovely walk to the next village. Food options on the island were very good. Hotel there was very basic for the price (price on booking site 2-3 times the other hotels we stayed in). Our G Adventures CEO was pleasant and helpful with good English. He took us on a tour of his childhood home and small village, showing us the local rice wine factory, etc
That said there are a few downsides to the tour. I chose this trip over Intrepid as it had more free time. However, optional tours took up almost all the free time (total cost about US$250) and there was pressure to do these by both the CEO and other participants. Hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, whilst good, were poorly located (about 2km from city centres). I didn't mind the walk but was not comfortable doing it after about 7pm alone. This was a pity in Siem Reap as the city comes alive at night (in PP it was not such an issue as I had extra days there in a more centrally located hotel). Also, the hotel in Siem Reap was not the one listed in the final itinerary and CEO said it had not been used for sometime (it is still on their itinerary on the website). Hotel in PP was surrounded by motor bike repair places and CEO said there were no recommended eating places nearby (so group had to get tuk tuks into riverside area).
Hotels in other locations were basic but adequate, except Kratie. Tour went to Kratie to see the endangered dolphins. We did this on motorised boats, which simply meant chasing the poor things around making a lot of noise (only 2-4 people per boat) and risking injuring then with the small propellers. This was all we did in Kratie as hotel was on edge of town and it was after a long day's travel. Hotel was really basic as was the food provided (many had cold meals that should have been hot, even though we had to order in advance).
Single supplement is about the same as paying as you go for a separate room (should be half that). Booking with Global Journeys is always easy and this trip was no exception. Tracey even went to the effort of providing the address and contact numbers for the hotels, as GAdventures did not. I would I go with G Adventures again - only to a country I was not confident getting around by myself. If you are a couple you could probably hire a car with driver and stay in better hotels for the price of this tour.
The tour was a great way to see Laos quickly. I especially loved the homestay night on the slow boat and wish that we could have spent more time with the community. Nak was an amazing CEO who helped us all in any way he could and created a welcoming, warm and lively environment.
Group of 16, hassle free safari. Saw the big 5, did game drives, boat safaris, walking safaris, mokoro safaris. Saw vic falls. Did the add ons of okavango delta flight, vic falls helicopter, vic falls white water rafting, all amazing. Best part of the trip was Massivu our tour leader and Anthony our driver, both amazing people who made the entire trip ...read more an extremely memorable one, thank you to both of you 🙏
This was a well organised trip through Vietnam from Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh city in the south. Our guide was very enthusiastic, the tour inclusions very interesting and great additional options - for example, our culinary tour in Hanoi introduced us to the different tastes of Vietnam. We had a motorcycle tour in Hue that took us out of our ...read more comfort zone but was well worth doing. We have travelled previously with G Adventures and would do so again. We especially like that the company supports disadvantaged or handicapped individuals in the country we visit.
We are a family of three, with a 14yr old daughter. We completed a 9 night tour in Japan with G Adventures , booked through Gobal Journeys. Our agent has been very responsive to my email queries. There was a issue with the sleeping arrangement, but with a great response the issue was resolved to my satisfaction. The tour had a friendly, enthusiastic ...read more and very helpful Japanese guide
Out group of 15 for on well, we were varied ages, my daughter was also well engaged with the group. Accommodation was comfortable and varied with size of rooms and comfort of the bed, all expected after researching Japanese Accommodation.
I would definitely recommend this tour for those interested in seeing Japan, but without the stress of being from A to B.
Out group of 15 for on well, we were varied ages, my daughter was also well engaged with the group. Accommodation was comfortable and varied with size of rooms and comfort of the bed, all expected after researching Japanese Accommodation.
I would definitely recommend this tour for those interested in seeing Japan, but without the stress of being from A to B.
I absolutely loved my time in Mexico! G Adventures was amazing and I would highly recommend them to anyone. My tour guide was so informative and made sure everyone had an amazing time. A high light of my trip was going on a party boat in Lake Bacalar and also visiting Chichen Itza as we learnt so much about the history.
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