Best Tour Companies Small Group Tours & Trips

Highlights

• Explore the Longmen Grottoes and wonder at the thousands of Buddha statues carved directly from the limestone cliffs, including the 17m high Vairocana.
• Take a walk along the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall and see towers that date back to the Ming dynasty about 600 years ago – and perhaps opt for a toboggan ride back down.
• Fall in love with Chinese food during a vegetarian feast at a Buddhist temple, a home-cooked lunch with a family in rural Xi’an and a Peking duck dinner in Beijing.
• Check out the mind-blowing Terracotta Army, then head to a local’s house for lunch and some insight into how life has changed since farmers discovered the vast mausoleum.
• Experience the art of tea in Hangzhou by visiting a local tea farmer’s home, where you can learn about the tea growing process and enjoy a hands-on demonstration during harvest season.

Highlights

• Start your trip in Barcelona, the city of Gaudi, wander the streets and marvel at the architectural feats, from the incredible La Sagrada Familia Basilica to the lush gardens of Park Guell.
• Discover the heart of Burgundy’s wine region in the town of Beaune. Sample a glass (or three!) of some of the finest wine in France and explore the many underground cellars that are scattered throughout the town.
• Walk the streets made famous by Game of Thrones in the medieval town of Girona. Stroll through the cobbled stone streets and be transported to King's Landing and Braavos.
• Explore the walled city of Avignon, crossing the 12th-century Pont St-Benezet bridge and munching on classic French fare like baguettes with cheese.
• Make cross-country travel a breeze with a European trip including train travel. Enjoy extra time to sit back, relax, play games with your fellow travellers or watch the changing scenery roll by.

Highlights

• Take a day trip to the island of Brac and indulge in the finest organic olive oils from the largest olive grove in Croatia, followed by a sugared walnut cake that has become ‘a protected item of intangible heritage’!
• Experience an authentic taste of the Balkans and a look at local life when you dine in family homes in Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dihovo.
• See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, an apple farm and meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting.
• Learn how to make a hand-formed pasta shape in a local konoba, before cooking and eating your creation with lunch.
• Visit iconic Croatian cities Split and Dubrovnik and explore the stunning landscapes and charming cities of the Balkans, discovering the legendary Rozafa Fortress.

Highlights

• Explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Luang Prabang. Rise with the sun and watch saffron-robed monks shuffle between houses, where the faithful wait with offerings as part of an alms giving ritual.
• Cruise upstream to Pak Ou Cave along the Mekong River in a traditional-style boat – a classic favourite in South East Asia. Take in the natural landscape and enjoy more photo-ops than you can shake a bamboo cane at.
• Ensure your holiday gives back by supporting organisations like COPE, who arededicated to assisting those who have been affectedby the unexploded ordnances left from the Vietnam war.
• Chill out with loads of free time to wander at your own pace. Explore Kuang Si Waterfalls for a refreshing swim, visit the gentle giants ofChangChill Elephant Sanctuary or go kayaking on the gorgeous Nam Song River.
• Head out on a sunset hike to Wat Phu Si in Luang Prabang for some epic views over Phu Si Mountain. After the sun descends, head to Talad Mued Night Market for a BBQ feast – a local favourite.

Highlights

• Take in the faraway feeling of one of the world's most remote populated islands and ponder the mystery of the moai monoliths that weigh up to 50 tonnes.
• Learn about the heritage of the Rapa Nui people, the island's native Polynesians, from a local guide that will be by your side during all activities.
• Enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people, born from a mix of ancient travellers that arrived here from the Polynesian islands and from South America.
• Travel your own way, with heaps of free time to stroll along Hanga Roa's main strip, sample the delicious local seafood or explore the island by bicycle.
• Visit the beautifully located Orongo Ceremonial Village and Ahu Akivi for unparalleled ocean views.

Highlights

• Fall for Santiago’s charm as a local guide reveals its neoclassical plazas and historic neighbourhoods.
• Journey through the Casablanca Valley for a premium wine tasting at a top Chilean winery.
• Discover Valparaiso’s street art scene and explore the maze of hillside houses on a guided walking tour.
• Enjoy free time to dive into Santiago at your pace – whether it’s sampling Indigenous cuisine or exploring the lively nightlife.
• Spend a few days in the Chilean capital – the ideal springboard to explore more of the country after your getaway.

Highlights

• Join an expert guide to track rhinos on foot in Matobo National Park. Discover black and white rhinos and other game while learning about the cultural and spiritual importance of the many ceremonial sites, San paintings, and rock formations.
• Chill out on the northern beaches of Zanzibar, enjoying the white sand and sparkling blue sea of the Indian Ocean, and spend some time discovering the island's hub at Stone Town.
• Discover the magic of South Luangwa National Park on a morning safari game drive. This park is a highly concentrated arena of noble African beasts and exotic wildflowers.
• Get a chance to explore the largest ruins in sub-Saharan Africa – the World Heritage-listed Great Zimbabwe, thought to be the former palace of an ancient monarch.
• Choose from a range of optional activities at Victoria Falls so you can see the cascades the way you want, and maybe treat yourself to a helicopter ride.

Highlights

• Explore an ancient wonder of the world – the Pyramids of Giza, along with the famed Sphinx, Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings, as you learn mythological history from an expert guide.
• You’ll never forget your first glimpse of The Treasury in Petra. Spend a day taking in the majesty and mystery of this unforgettable place on a guided tour, then enjoy free time to explore.
• Be welcomed into the home of families in Cairo and Petra, where you’ll chat with friendly family hosts over traditional meals and learn what life is like in these diverse locations.
• Set sail down the Nile on a four-night riverboat cruise and watch day turn to dusk from the sundeck. Then, experience the world’s most iconic river from a traditional felucca boat.
• Experience the unique sensation of floating in the super-salty waters of the Dead Sea, then cover yourself in the mineral-rich mud for a spa treatment like no other.