Fantastic holidays, lovely venue and decor.

Amazing People, Amazing Company, Amazing Itinerary, Amazing Safari - Cannot wait until the next one!

The Explorations Company Designed the Perfect Journey to Southern Africa! Various situations delayed my dream trip for almost two years, but Explorations Company staff checked in with me now and then, and when I was ready to go, they put together a journey that highlighted everything I wanted to see and do and stayed within my budget (which was more modest than that of many of their clients, I think). Every detail was accounted for: In-country flights, ground transfers, dietary preferences; I never had to worry about anything. The staff and facilities at the camps and lodges Explorations Company selected in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana were just wonderful, offering different terrain, activities and wildlife with expert guides and always the same high standard. I would go again in a heartbeat! Very highly recommended!

The Explorations Company organised the most fantastic honeymoon for us in Sri Lanka. Everyone we talked to and met were incredibly helpful and accommodating. We couldn't recommend them highly enough. The whole trip went so well and it was totally stress free and an enjoyable experience. Anthea and Chinmay's knowledge and understanding of the properties, country, people, and ideas for where we might want to go was exceptional. I would 100% use The Explorations Company for any future holiday.

Great personal service and would definitely recommend.

Wow! We still haven't quite come back to earth from our Kenya safari that Kate at The Explorations Company arranged for us. What an INCREDIBLE holiday that I and my family will remember forever. Kate chose exactly the right camps and lodges for us and everything was just first rate from start to finish. The wildlife in the Mara and our guide, Jimmy, were unforgettable and we have made some very special family memories. Thank you to Kate for all your careful thought and planning, just fantastic in every way!

Over the past 10 years Nicky Shepherd and her team at The Explorations Company have designed and delivered 3 extraordinarily special safari trips to Africa for us and family. One of the distinctive dimensions of the service provided flows from the personal knowledge and experience, of Nicky and her team, of the recommended locations, properties and, in some cases, even down to individual safari guides in the camps! The detailed discussions to unearth what we were looking for, and things we didn't want, makes the end product such a great fit, and without exception, incredibly enjoyable, distinctive and memorable experience.

I’ve been using Kate and Explorations for several years (and several safaris) for years now and I am extremely pleased with our relationship. Kate is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about camps and has an uncanny knack for developing unique, diverse and complimentary camp itineraries. And she knows these camps because she has been to them or even in some cases worked for them. Most agents give you what they think is good, Explorations and Kate give you what they know is great. Feel free to contact me if you’d like more info but you shouldn’t hesitate.

We had the most amazing couple of weeks courtesy of Nicola Shepherd with a wonderful trip to Kenya. We started off with a great few days in Lewa where we enjoyed a fantastic safari experience, largely thanks to Johnson and Kamushu who were excellent hosts. There were some great animals we saw there, in particular lions, black and weit rhinos and elephants. We then went on a highly rewarding trek near the Masai Mara, which was physically demanding but definitely worth it, again with fantastic hosting from Hamish and George, as well as members of the Maari tribe. On our last night, we saw the Maranis perform a ritual which was an incredible experience. We then went to the Masai Mara for a few more days of safari, where the best animals we saw were hippos, leopards and lions. We then finished with a relaxing few days on Diana beach. Overall, it was the most incredible experience which I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to do a safari trip.

This is the second time we have worked with The Explorations Company to plan a fantastic family vacation. First time was to Botswana a few years ago and it was excellent. This year we did 8 days in Japan with our 3 teenage boys and once again the service was outstanding and we didn't have to worry about a thing the whole week except enjoying getting to know Japan. The Explorations Company arranged hotels, train travel and guides plus a series of private experiences like Taiko drumming lessons and calligraphy lessons with a master in Kyoto. Those activities broke up the visits to shrines and temples and gave the week a nice balance. The Explorations Company are a high end private tour company and you need to be willing to spend a lot of money, but in return you get personal attention. a stress free travel experience and family memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to Chinmay and the team for an outstanding vacation.

Our family trip to Kenya, arranged by The Explorations Company, was simply amazing and incredibly memorable! They were able to organise the holiday in a way that suited the whole family’s (parents and 3 children) desires of what they wanted to see/experience. There wasn’t a moment which wasn’t enjoyed and we cannot thank Nicola enough for her superb advice creating the holiday of a lifetime. We hope to do it all again soon!!!

Excellent service, creative experiences and a total willingness to work to get the program right for the client. They have a vast network of specialist and venue relationships allowing specific interests to be explored in depth. Our advisor, Chinmay Vasavada, has been spot on in developing a program whether for a cultural family trip to Japan or just R&R in Vietnam or Bali. Highly recommended!

Words don't seem sufficient to describe what an amazing trip we had to Botswana. From the initial enquiry through to the final arrival, every detail was handled personally by the team. Simply everything exceeded expectations, from camps, to food, to transfers etc. And the types of camps that the Explorations company frequent were simply exquisite. The final trip back to the airstrip by helicopter was not only a surprise but also an amazing opportunity to view the delta from the air at close range. I have used the Explorations company many many times for various trips, even organising my wedding in Zambia, and I never fail to be amazed by the knowledge and credibility of the team. I totally support their ethos of " giving back" to the countries they visit, and somehow it makes the trip even more exciting to include it. I wouldn't hesitate to reccommend the Explorations Company for any itinerary and cant wait to go travelling with them again.

We have booked over 10 holidays with The Explorations Company, most of them being to Africa but we’ve also traveled to Oman and Sri Lanka with them. Our usual contact has been Kate Pirie. They are always meticulous and careful to make sure you get the safari/holiday you want and we have had some fantastic trips and experiences. From the amazing remoteness of Liuwa Plains to the renowned South Luangwa national park in Zambia our holidays have been second to none. Their staff have excellent firsthand knowledge of Africa and safari camps and really know their business. We would recommend them to our friends without hesitation and will be in touch with them later this year to organise our next safari.safari

My family and I recently traveled to Kenya on a safari with The Explorations Company. It was a truly life-changing experience for all of us! Our decision to go on a safari was a last-minute one and nevertheless Nicola was able to arrange a wonderful trip. All the lodges we stayed in were beautiful. The guides who accompanied us were knowledgeable and the staff at all the lodges were extremely attentive. Nicola took the time to learn about our family and was able to organize a journey that had something to appeal to each member of the family. Every day of the trip held a new and exciting adventure!

We just returned from a Covid-delayed (a year later) honeymoon in Kenya. We had an unbelievable time and the Explorations Company provided flexibility in scheduling and top level service in choosing the best itinerary with us. We changed several items while in Kenya and they were always available via WhatsApp to modify our plans or change our method of travel. I can’t say enough about Nicola and Francis and the whole company!

Global travel experts for high-end, personalized experiences. We are seasoned globe trotters. Travel is our passion and we've enjoyed traveling the world for our work & pleasure. We were seeking personalize, adventure travel itinerary with lots of walking, site seeing, conservation-minded learning, and privacy while in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Now that we're home, we are singing the praises of Nicola Shepard and her travel specialist team! Our 6-week safari was perfect in every way, thanks to their thoughtful questions, planning, customization and superb accommodation choices for us. If we could give a 5+ star (or 10 star) rating we would. They listened to our interests and created an itinerary to fit our lifestyle. I've enjoyed working with them over the last 20 years. First, a summer safari with young children, then, to India for a couples group birthday celebration, and finally for this January 2022 adventure with only my husband. I appreciate their planning and absolute attention to details from dealing with pandemic uncertainty, to hiring expert local guides and to full-service ground capabilities. Their depth knowledge across multiple countries, communities/tribes, philanthropies, wildlife reserves, and more is a rarity. If you're seeking a world-class travel planning experts who can help make your wildest dreams come true -- they are excellent partners. Thank you Nicola, Frances, and your entire crew for making our dreams a reality. We are truly grateful and appreciative in all that you did for us -- every step of the way!!!!!

The Explorations Company was excellent to work with in every regard. We originally booked a safari in Tanzania for the summer of 2020 but due to COVID had to delay it until the summer of 2022. Our representative (Aggie) was responsive, proactive and focused on customizing the experience based on the interests and needs of our family. Aggie was excellent to work with during the planning phase, during the trip, and also with follow up once we returned home.

Many, many thanks to The Explorations Company for organising yet another fantastic African Safari trip for us, just back from the Kafue N Park Zambia where we experienced beautiful camps, delicious food and amazing wildlife sightings with plenty of unique photographic opportunities. We have been travelling to Africa with The Explorations Company for a number of years now and they have always organised the most amazing safari experiences for us.....and yes we are already planning our next trip calling on their expertise to ensure another successful trip.

My husband, two best friends and I have just returned from a mind blowing trip to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique organised by Kate. She recommended various camps and hotels based on what we were looking for and she absolutely surpassed our high expectations. The holiday was sublime. She even laid on a surprise for us in the Okavango delta for our Pearl wedding anniversary! We have used her services in the past for Zim and Zam and we thought she couldn't better that holiday - but she did. We were met at each stage of the trip and ushered through airports etc which is really great as you don't have to worry at all. If you dont want a run of the mill holiday (nothing wrong with that!), then I could not recommend the Explorations Company highly enough. They are the most informative, innovative, professional holiday company out there. We are already looking at organising our next holiday with them! Use them - you will thank your lucky stars you did.

We have just returned from the most amazing holiday in Africa organised by Explorations company. They have organised many trips for us and they have always been brilliant. From initial planning and providing suggestions and ideas to preparing an itinerary their attention to detail is faultless. They are all so knowledgeable about the countries in which they arrange holidays and able to arrange those extra things that make a true travel experience out of a holiday. On this trip while trekking to the mountain Gorillas in Uganda they arranged for ‘gorilla vets’ to talk to us and even trek with us. Seeing mountain gorillas was beyond fantastic but then being able to hear about measures to support this endangered species took it to another level. After Uganda we went on safari in southern Tanzania, not only were Explorations company able to recommend the best camps and the best guides they also arranged for us to meet representatives of the ‘carnivore project’ in Ruaha which works to help the local population understand the need to protect carnivores in the wild. We wanted to finish off with a few days rest , Nicola recommended Fundu Lagoon on Pemba. Quite simply this was paradise and I even dived for the first time on beautiful coral and was able to see the most amazing array of fish. The holiday was perfectly planned , everything went smoothly and Explorations Company looked after every detail from beginning to end - thank you. We are already looking forward to our next trip!

What an amazing holiday! We went to Kenya with our 2 children in their 20s to celebrate my husband’s birthday and the trip the Explorations Company put together was brilliant for all of us with safari, horseriding, ballooning, trekking, beaching and more! I was particularly impressed by their Vamoos app which had all our information and details on it and meant we could be pretty much paperless ( which was a first for me!). Very many thanks to Nicola, Jonathan and their team for organising such a perfect holiday - nothing was too much effort.

Nicola planned a personalized itinerary to Ecuador and the Galapagos for me and my husband, with much thought and consideration of what we like to do and what our interests are. We spent a fascinating week traveling around Ecuador then a magical week in the Galapagos Islands. In Ecuador, all our guides, our superb hotels, transportation and suggested activities and restaurants had a personal touch. For example, we had a private, several course lunch in a monastery in Quito and later the same day we had drinks and local fruit on the rooftop of the Iglesia of Santo Domingo. The custodian opened the magnificent library in the Monastery of Santo Domingo for us and showed us rare ancient books. This was wonderful. Mashpi Lodge, an eco-wilderness lodge outside of Quito was outstanding. Our guide picked up on our love of birds and took us birdwatching several times, even on his day off. Tiestos restaurant in Cuenca was a highlight: the chef chose 3 dishes for us and he demonstrated his artistic talents by decorating a plate with edible fruit "paint". All desserts came on similarly, edibly decorated plates. Our week in the Galapagos Islands was fun and adventurous from beginning to end. The staff on the Relais and Chateau boat, the Theory, were a delight. The boat had 10 cabins only and the service was exceptional. Our naturalist guides were outstanding: both were born and raised on the Galapagos Islands. We were treated to sightings of numerous land and sea animals and fish, often very close up, including an unusually large pod of dolphins. We felt that we were very well looked after pre-, during and post-trip. Nicola and her staff couldn't have been more detail-oriented and willing to see to our every need and perceived need. We are most grateful to Nicola, Anthea and staff; this was the trip of a lifetime.

We have used the services of Kate Pirie from The Explorations Company 3 times now for safari trips to various countries in Africa and it certainly won’t be the last time. She has an amazing ability to get to the heart of what you are looking for and she has delivered for us every time. The first holiday to Zimbabwe and Zambia was outstanding and we thought she couldn’t better it but she did with the next trip to Zimbabwe, Botswana and Vilankulos in Mozambique. It was an amazing trip. We have just returned from our third holiday she organised to South Africa and Mozambique and well, what can I say, she knocked it out the park yet again. They organise everything for you, the paperwork and explanatory notes you get about your destinations are superb and the communication is excellent. Nothing is too much trouble. The accommodations they deal with are all first class. They are a specialist company and you pay a bit more for this expertise and attention to detail, but it is worth every penny. We are saving hard for our next trip wherever that may be, but I will have absolutely no hesitation in using the services of The Explorations Company yet again.

This was an amazing trip of a lifetime, we loved every bit of it. Anthea's planning made everything come together seamlessly from beginning to end. We saw every animal we could have dreamed of wanting to see. Accommodation, food, staff, game drives.... were all of the highest standard, way above our expectations.

What an incredible experience! My wife and I worked with Nicola and her team at Explorations Company to plan our honeymoon across Kenya and Zanzibar. It was truly the perfect vacation - they spent so much time with us as we asked questions, worked with them to plan our itinerary, and choose the right safaris. They have clearly done their research and know the best places to go, where to stay, and who to work with on the ground. All of our logistics, transportation, and itineraries were planned perfectly, everything went smoothly, and we couldn't have been happier. It was such a luxurious experience and we can't wait to go again. Special thanks to Aggie who answered so many of our questions and planned everything right down to the last detail - thank you!!

How many times can I use the word PERFECT to describe the wonderful trip that The Explorations Company planned for our family. Two weeks in Kenya and not one experience less than 5 starts. Every day the transportation (land and air) was on time and safe and pleasant. Every place we stayed was filled with amazing experiences and incredible guides. On the Mara in Kenya is a dream experience if you book with The Explorations Company. They are through and professional and follow up better than you can imagine. PERFECT!

As we are closing out our most incredible journey we wanted to thank you and your wonderful colleagues for being such kind professionals-and who many we call family now. We have been so blessed on this journey to have gained such knowledge and insights on life. As we are reflecting upon the many gifted moments you and your team have created for us, we wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your patience and planing and many conversations with us to make this such a treasured moment of time. The Explorations Company truly is the most amazing and best travel agency. You and your colleagues are gifted and trusted agents as you genuinely take time to get to know your clients and their needs as you did with us. Every moment you planned for us was just perfect. With heartfelt appreciation. Ssusan and Terry

Explorations Company, and Kate Pirie, arranged a flawless itinerary for my 4 week trip to southern Africa (March/April 2022). Everything was perfect from selection of experiences and accommodations, to transfer arrangements, to the guides I had the privilege of spending time with, and learning from their encyclopedic knowledge. My trip was the farthest thing from "off the shelf" - rather, it was highly tailored to suit my interests, time frames and needs. EC is recommended to anyone looking for attention to detail in planning and preparations for safe, stress-free travel that still offers lots of adventure. Thanks to Kate, the EC team and all your colleagues in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa.

We were a party of eight traveling primarily inTanzania from Aug 6 to 18 ,2022. The Explorations Company did an outstanding job planning and implementing every aspect of our trip. All camps and guides were excellent. Safety, cleanliness,comfort, food and drink were great. The service in all areas was all we could ask for. The planes got to our destination in a safe and timely manner as did the assigned vehicles. I will highly recommend The Explorations Company for anyone going on an African Safari.

Kate, thank you for yet another perfect holiday. With our passion for Africa and your ability to discern exactly what we like, our recent trip to Kenya was fabulous. Your immaculate planning meant that we didn't have to think about anything other than hugely enjoying much of what this beautiful country has to offer. We having nothing but praise for the attention to detail and the courteousness and helpfulness of all your staff. The Exploration Company is par excellence. We are already thinking about our next trip! Lesley and Beverley

I just spent a magical 2 weeks in Morocco with a friend thanks to The Explorations Company (TEC) and Anthea Graham, who made all the arrangements. We visited Fez, Sahara Desert, Skoura, Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, Casablanca. Our driver, Brahim, made travel between locations comfortable. The riads at each site had exquisite rooms, wonderful service, and delicious authentic Moroccan cuisine. We loved all the sites chosen. The guides were wonderful and very knowledgable. TEC previously helped us with a trip to China in 2019. We had requested visiting a site that only researchers typical visit. TEC was the only company that found a way for us to do what we had dreamed. That trip was also spectacular. TEC truly makes travel dreams come true and I can't wait to plan my next adventure with them.

Kate Pirie magnificently put together a flawless, first class trip to Egypt for us. In 10 days we covered Abu Simbel, Aswan, a 3 night cruise on the Nile, Luxor, Alexandria and Cairo as well as a private event. Every detail was impeccably taken care of: meet/greet, transportation, tours and guides, superb hotels, splendid restaurants. My husband and I very strongly recommend Kate, The Explorations Company and their affiliate company in Egypt. A special thanks to Michael of the Acorn Company. CONGRATULATIONS and thank you Kate for “accompanying” us on this most memorable experience. We are thinking of our next trip already and have no doubt as to whom to call!

The Explorations Company organized a fantastic trip to Peru for myself and my 17 year old son. Everything was exceptionally well organized and high quality from start to finish. Our guides were knowledgable and friendly, the quality of the accomodations five star, and the overall experience was truly memorable. Having worked with The Explorations Company before on a number of trips, we were confident in their ability to delvier a fabulous vacation and we were not disappointed. This was a great way to see Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu and created many treasured memories for us.

This company is great till they get your deposit . you phone up there is allways an excuse why they have not returned your call whey they have not sent the documentation . got a 2uote for a trip to kenya and uganda allthough the person sent me through information for ruwanda so it got changed for uganda then got told that i could apply for my visa when i get to uganda luckily eventually when i got a pdf copy of my itinery allthough info was wrong on it regarding flight etc that i did need to apply for a visa on line . phoned up to find out exactly what the legal requirements was . so annoyed

The whole trip from planning to experiencing wonderful Botswana has been amazing . Cannot recommend the Exploration Company more highly . Thanks you so much .

We have been travelling to India since 1989 and by chance met Chinmay Vasavada after he had just returned from the tribal areas of the northeast. We clicked straightaway and there is not much he doesn't know about the subcontinent, moreover he knows us well and is always coming up new interesting ideas. I have always wanted to see the painted Buddhist caves at Ajanta and this year we made it. Chinmay insisted that we went to Ellora too and he was right - quite stunning. We ended this 4-week trip with a wind-down at Maheshwar. Diwali itself was dampened by a late monsoon but his is an exceptional place. The unusual sunset was taken the following day - what a memory. As to the service and organisation - absolutely faultless.

We have just returned from an amazing holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia. This was our 5th holiday with the Explorations Company (previously a family safari, honeymoon safaris for each of our sons, and a trip to Kerala) so we know each other well. We had 5 days in Thailand for a friend’s 70th birthday party before we headed off to Saigon, so good to have some downtime to get over the jet lag before we started our Vietnam and Cambodia exploring. Our itinerary which was planned over a year in advance was perfect. The right amount of time in each place with the right hotels and the right rooms and some incredible swimming pools together with two memorable day’s journey to Chau Doc on a sampan on the Mekong backwaters. The guides were good company and looked after us well. In Angkor Wat at the time we visited we had the extraordinary experience of not too many tourists. Really happy that Chinmay had put together such a great holiday for us, many, many thanks

We have just returned from the most amazing trip to India. Chinmay planned the perfect itinerary for our family (our children are 16 and 18). The travel arrangements were seamless. The mix of experiences was very well crafted and ranged from visiting a school with the charity Reality Gives, to seeing tigers in the wild, staying at the Falaknuma Palace and finally relaxing on a beach in Goa. The Explorations Company is expensive but they really custom design your trip to your interests/budget. They take away all the stressful elements so you can really enjoy your holiday. Now we just need to start saving for our next one....

Kate and her team know Africa intimately. They match lodgings and experiences to individual clients, providing a smooth journey with reliable and knowledgeable guides. Stress-free travel at its best. I’ve done two African trips with Explorations, my brother, five. We wouldn’t do it any other way.

Just completed our 2nd adventure put together by Nicola and staff at The Explorations Company. To say the entire experience to Rwanda was SPECTACULAR would be a gross understatement. I cannot imagine a more perfect outcome. Not a detail missed. Truly life altering! The professionalism and knowledge base of EC is second to none. Should you be considering an adventure either alone, with family and/or friends, don't hesitate to contact The Explorations Company. You'll be so glad you did.

My family and I took a two week trip to Tanzania and had an amazing time. We never felt safer and all the accommodations were fantastic. We are looking forward to using the Explorations company again for another life changing experience!

This was our first safari - and we wanted to do it "properly" so accepted a recommendation from a friend to use The Explorations Company. In truth, we had very high expectations - but were not at all disappointed. We were two years delayed by Covid, but the team cheerfully rolled over our bookings. and when we finally got to go this year, they were super-thoughtful in ensuring we knew what to take/how to prepare. And the trip itself - just superb. We were looked after from the moment we arrived in Nairobi to the moment we left - but SUCH nice people. The places we stayed were wonderful. And we saw enough wildlife to last a lifetime (or at least until we go back!). Many thanks to Nicola and the team. Use them - you won't be disappointed!

I wanted to go on a first time safari trip to Africa with family. I talked with some individual safari camp companies. Then I talked with Nicola. Nicola asked what our group liked in terms of travel (how adventurous, what level of accommodations, and what we wanted to see). I told her I had no idea because I dont know Africa but we wanted to see as much as we could and the best things given our two week block. Nicola put together the vacation of a lifetime for us. Her company delivered with a perfect itinerary (involving 4 separate safari companies and a short time spent with each). They prepared us making sure we had all travel documents and logistics covered. It was truly a care free and thoroughly enjoyable time for our group. We felt safe and the details and transfers were handled perfectly. Wow, I cant think of any other way I would have rather handled it. Great job Nicola and the Explorations Company!

We planned our honeymoon with Liesl and could not be happier. This was our first trip to Africa and we spent many months trying to wrap our heads around planning traveling in an unknown continent. All our worries melted away after we received a referral to The Explorations Company. Liesl was extremely communicative & thorough. We quickly arrived at a beautiful itinerary tailored to our needs and desires. To help us celebrate our honeymoon Liesl even planned a few secret activities that came as a complete and lovely surprise to us. Our 18 day trip went without a hitch and exceeded every expectation. Thank you Liesl and everybody else working for/with the Explorations Company for making our honeymoon so incredibly special. We will never forget this trip!

We have used the Exploration Company for multiple trips. They provide a fantastic, very personal service and are delightful. They have helped us enormously when we have had to cancel plans because of illness and shown incredible flexibility and are super helpful.

All we knew was that we wanted to check "safari" off of our bucket list. After a call with Nicola at The Explorations Company to learn about our travel and adventure preferences, a customized itinerary was assembled. The in depth knowledge, personalization and attention to every detail was outstanding. We had high expectations and they were exceeded. We have checked our bucket list but will definitely return to see more of Kenya. This was the trip of a lifetime!

We have been on a number of trips to Africa with the team at Explorations Company. Always brilliant! Their first hand local knowledge makes a difference, from taking the time to understand what will make the trip special for you, to always getting a hand picked room, to ensuring their guests get the highest quality guides and experience about how to get away from the maddening crowd. Nicola runs a business that is first class in terms of ***** service, but also cares meaningfully about the impact locally. The people she works with on the ground in Africa have the highest standards both in terms of ensuring their clients have a fabulous experience, but also that their business has a positive impact for the local community. The pictures and memories are amazing, but the learning is something that will be with you for ever.

We decided at the last minute to visit Zambia. An internet search brought us to the very well-made website of The Explorations Company. In a very short period of time, different versions of a trip were presented to us. We found this company to be very friendly, exclusive and extremely efficient. Even when we had a slight change of plans at the last minute, they were very accommodating and took care of everything seamlessly. Besides Africa, they have specialists for all parts of the world and we will definitely go through them for any future adventures. Thank you for making our trip unforgettable!!!