Explorica US (explorica.com) has a 3.8 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 100 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Travel & Vacation and its reputation is mixed. 66% of reviews are 4 stars or higher and 17% are 1 star; The business has replied to 96% of negative reviews. Last updated 2026-08-10.
What people say
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Jennifer Phillips · 1 review · Experienced 2026-08-03 ·
★★★★★
1 star is being generous
1 star is being generous. Our school was to be using their services for travel this year, but they had told us we needed 8 people to make the trip happen. We had 6. We all still had to pay upfront, in the hopes that we would get the full amount of people to go. We weren't able to do that, so the trip had to be canceled. Explorica ended up taking cancelation fees from EACH person. For literally doing nothing. Leslie Noone and Kelly Fitzgerald were spoken to on this matter, and they each refuse to reverse that decision. This has hurt our children, and now they have hurt us even more by taking HUNDREDS of dollars out of hard working peoples' pockets. I will be going to the papers about this and I hope that no school ever uses this company again!!
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Marion Schweihofer · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-23 ·
★★★★★
Switzerland, Mediterranean trip experience
Where to start. The flights were filled with long delays. The hotels for the most part were out of town and in areas you wouldn’t want to venture out in the evening. They put us in one hotel with old, dirty rooms with air conditioning not working in ours. Got moved after requesting another room at 11 pm. Tour guide really wasn’t a tour guide. Dropped us off the bus, walked us to a meeting point, and gave us a time to be back. Not sure what he cost us but it was not worth it. The food at every dinner, whether at hotel or restaurant, ranged from inedible to subpar. Kids were living on gelato because they couldn’t eat the food. Adults as well. Need to limit stops in a day. Three towns in 8 hours across a country is too much. Didn’t have time to even explore. I have been on other tours and for the same price I had great flights, accommodations and outstanding food. This company needs to do better.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-29
Dear Marion,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We sincerely apologize that your experience did not meet your expectations.
At WorldStrides, we take all feedback very seriously, and we are disappointed to learn about the concerns you encountered regarding transportation delays, hotel accommodations, meal quality, the pace of the itinerary, and the overall tour experience. We understand how frustrating it can be when key aspects of a trip do not align with what was anticipated, and we regret the impact this had on your and your group's experience.
Please know that we value feedback such as yours, as it helps us identify areas where improvements may be needed. We will carefully review the points you have raised and share them with the appropriate teams for further evaluation.
We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention and apologize again for the disappointment and inconvenience you experienced.
Sincerely,
The WorldStrides Team
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Patrick Kelly · 2 reviews · Experienced 2026-06-23 ·
★★★★★
Dreadful tour
What went wrong? How much time do you have? From being picked up at Zurich after an overnight flight from Dallas and being dropped off in 98 degree weather in the morning, told to hang out and discover Zurich when all anyone wanted was to rest. Our tour guide was giving us directions in down town Zurich, right under the statue of Swiss hero William Tell and never mentioned his name. That was a sign of things to come... Fast forward to 3pm and we have to fight through considerable Zurich traffic to go back to airport a third time after another groups flight was delayed. That's not World Strides issue but there was no alternative plan. All while we were on a really hot bus. The whole week we were with this driver he would not prestart or air condition the bus before we started driving. He was a substitute driver and wasn't familiar with the bus. This IS a World Stride issue. Do better! Our bus was like an oven everytime we got on it. All the other buses were running while people were off touring. Ours got turned off and got hot at every stop. We took a 45 minute Uber when we got to the airport and figured out the plane was still late. We just wanted, needed to lay down at that point. Granted this was all during the hottest June ever in Europe but the lack of planning or alternative plans was appalling.
Another issue throughout the trip is where we stayed. I fully understand this is a HS budget friendly trip and I don't expect to stay in city centers but the commutes in big cities to reach very marginal hotels seemed unnecessary. The breakfast food, again with minimal expectations, often disappointed. How hard can coffee be? We had such a bland meal in Italy, it was heartbreaking. In Italy!! Our poor guide Sandra came up and asked us how the meal was and there was just dead silence. Honestly, and I pretty much eat anything, some of the food was unpalatable, including the paella in Barcelona. You would think...by this time I knew the trend well and skipped the paella for a more flavorful meal but my tour mates panned it.
Another issue was our luggage. twelve days in Europe and we could only bring a carry on. I get it, small hotels, easier storage, less to lose but literally all the other HS tour groups had full size suitcases. That fit into their pre air conditioned buses.
I don't want to lament the whole tour. The glacier in Switzerland was great. Barcelona is a great town, even in the summer heat. I love Arles France, skip Genova Italy, industrial port town at best, there was nothing of note there. Roussillon was a wonderful little artist enclave that was truly enjoyable so there were great moments too. Being driven around to four countries, not having to deal with immigration was great. We got to see Spain play in the World Cup on tv in Spain and the French play in France.
Overall though the tour was lacking. In planning, in details, in accommodations, food, sight seeing, efficient travel. It made me wildly aware of the HS student tourist industry and how they take advantage of these kids and parents. I will leave you with this story. We pulled into a budget hotel in Arles France. The tour had not been going well on a few levels and Explorica was well aware. They decided to upgrade us from the a budget to luxury room in Arles. To begin with the hotel was in a very dirty part of town with public housing on one side of the hotel. There was literally trash all around the perimeter. The hotel was split in half budget and luxury. Luxury was a stretch. The luxury being the kids could use the pool. Other than that it's the same hotel. When 40 roll into registration it can take awhile to get your keys. When I finally got my key I headed up to the elevator but some of our kids were already coming down saying the rooms were not cleaned and the beds still dirty from the guests before. Some other people said their keys weren't working. When I opened my door the first thing I saw was a tower fan. This can't be good I thought and immediately found out the AC didn't work. In the middle of the hottest June ever in Europe. By the time got downstairs my gf had enough and once again we paid for an Uber to take us to a nice hotel near the Colosseum. We paid much more but had a memorable stay and wonderful meals. It turned out it took another two hours to transfer our whole group, take the luggage out to the budget/luxury hotel and move to an equally downtrodden hotel. That in itself feels like how we were treated the whole time.
I simply could not, with any purity of heart, recommend this tour company. There are many out there, look at reviews and find one that works well for you and your kids.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for bringing these extensive concerns to our attention. While we appreciate that you highlighted the highlights in Switzerland, France, and Spain, we sincerely apologize for the severe discomfort and lack of planning you faced regarding hot buses, long hotel commutes, disappointing meals, and room issues in Arles.
Traveling during record heat requires proactive logistics, functioning air conditioning, and flexible contingency planning. Failing to meet these basic standards is unacceptable. We have passed your review in its entirety to our operations and quality assurance teams to conduct a full internal review of our regional bus contractors, hotel partners, and itinerary structures.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team
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Blake Rowe · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-08 ·
★★★★★
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, our guide, Alberto, and our driver, Adam, were both incredible and went out of their way to make sure we all had an amazing experience. They were always prepared and on top of everything. Would highly recommend.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-17
Dear Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We are delighted that your trip to Puerto Rico was a success and that Alberto and Adam took such great care of your group. Having a prepared, dedicated team on the ground makes all the difference, and we truly appreciate you highlighting their hard work and preparation.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team
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jv world · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-01 ·
★★★★★
Trip to Europe
Enjoyed my trip to Benelux, Paris and London. It was easy to build a relationship with my representative, called or texted them when needed.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-17
Dear Customer,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We are delighted that you had a great trip exploring Benelux, Paris, and London. Our goal is to make communication as seamless as possible, and we are so glad you found it easy to stay in touch with your representative throughout the planning and travel phases. We truly appreciate your support and partnership.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team
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Kelly Watson · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-29 ·
★★★★★
Disappointed With Lack of Support After My Child’s Belonging Was Lost
I am very disappointed with how this situation was handled by Explorica (WorldStrides).
After my daughter returned from her school trip, we discovered that she had accidentally left her iPad in her hotel room. I immediately tried to get help locating it. Using Find My iPad, I could see that the device was still at the hotel.
When I contacted WorldStrides for assistance, I was initially given the wrong hotel information, which caused additional delays while I tried to find the correct hotel myself. After locating the correct hotel and contacting them directly, the hotel eventually confirmed that they had searched and found my daughter’s iPad.
I provided all the information needed for the iPad to be returned, including my mailing address. However, more than eight days have passed with no updates, no shipping information, and no resolution.
When I contacted WorldStrides again, I was told that it was my responsibility to communicate with the hotel. I explained that I had already done that, and that the hotel had confirmed they had the iPad but was not responding or arranging its return. I was told WorldStrides would contact the hotel, but I have not received any follow-up.
As a parent, I expect a travel company responsible for arranging my child’s trip to provide support when issues arise. Lost items can happen, but communication, accountability, and helping families resolve problems are extremely important.
Parents trust companies like Explorica with their children’s travel experiences. If a child’s personal belongings are not taken seriously, it raises concerns about how other situations involving student care and safety are handled.
I hope Explorica improves its communication and customer support so future families receive the help they deserve.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-17
Dear Customer,
We are deeply sorry for the communication gaps and the frustration you encountered while trying to locate and return your daughter's iPad. Your expectation for clear support and coordination from us is entirely reasonable, and we apologize that our response did not reflect the level of care we aim to provide.
Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us, and we have shared your review directly with our corresponding internal departments to address our handling of lost items and team communication. We are committed to learning from this experience to ensure our support before, during, and after our trips meets the high standards our families deserve.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team
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April Simpson · 2 reviews · Experienced 2026-06-26 ·
★★★★★
We just got back from the UK
We just got back from the UK, France and Spain trip. We are owed refunds on our hotel fees and 1 excursion. One of our hotels we woke up and were covered in ants! I mean thousands! Tiny rooms in dirty hotels was mostly the name of the game. We have traveled with World Strides previously to Costa Rica and we had the most amazing rooms. Also, the Toledo Spain sword excursion is a complete scam! He hit a sword 6 times with a hammer and we were led into a room and sold stuff like car salesman. Absolute waste of money! Miriam was Wonderful!
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-06
Dear April
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. Your comments are essential to our continuous improvement, and we truly value your honesty and feedback.
We understand that your recent experience with WorldStrides fell short of your expectations, and for that, we sincerely apologize. Our team is committed to addressing the issue and ensuring it does not happen again. Here are the steps we are taking:
1. Investigation: We are thoroughly reviewing the issue you raised to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
2. Training and Improvement: We are implementing additional staff training to enhance the quality of our service.
3. Resolution: We aim to make things right and would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] at your convenience.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
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Jennifer Mitchell · 2 reviews · Experienced 2026-06-23 ·
★★★★★
10/10
Enjoyed our leader, guides and drivers on our tour of Italy and Greece. I will book another in the future.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-06
Dear Jennifer Mitchell,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad to know that our Program leaders-tour directors and bus drivers made your experience memorable. We will pass on your compliments to them.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team
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Jenny Bell Herbert · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-15 ·
★★★★★
Trip to Ireland & UK
We had an unbelievable experience with Explorica. We started in Ireland and continued to travel into the entire UK. Sabi, our tour guide was amazing!! I'm honestly sad she was in and out of our lives so quickly. She was so knowledgeable and very quick to fix the unexpected hiccups that come with a big group traveling to 4 countries. I would definitely travel with this company again and I would request Sabi.
Reply from Explorica US2026-07-01
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your unbelievable experience with Explorica! We are thrilled to hear that your journey through Ireland and the UK was so memorable.
It is incredibly rewarding to hear such high praise for Sabi. We take great pride in our tour directors, and Sabi’s ability to share deep knowledge while seamlessly managing the unexpected logistics of a multi-country group tour is exactly what we strive for. We will be sure to pass your wonderful compliments along to them.
We would love to welcome you back for another adventure in the future, and we will definitely note your request for Sabi for any upcoming travels.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team
I was a chaperone on a fabulous trip to Dublin, Wales, London, and Paris. Our guide, Maddie, was amazing!! She was very knowledgeable, well organized, and fun! The entire trip from take-off to returning home was a breeze. The guides within the towns had amazing stories of history. The coach drivers were funny and drove with a breeze on those small streets. The hotel rooms were very nice and the meals were so good. I highly recommend traveling through Explorica.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-30
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
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Consumer · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-17 ·
★★★★★
My son went on a trip to Japan
My son went on a trip to Japan. Unfortunately he lost his passport on Thursday . They had a plan to go to the Embassy on Monday as their luggage was already shipped to their next destination in Japan. The company advised them to get off the bus told them they had to get off the bus even the tour guide was against it. The company that is based in the United States told them on Friday, which was Juneteenth to get off the bus and go to the embassy and not continue with the group. They missed five of their seven days. I had to send money for activities food, and Transportation because they did not cover it after I had already paid for food Transportation and lodging instead of allowing them continue with their tour. They could’ve just missed Monday, one day of their entire trip to go to the embassy. It was a total disaster. They also did not give them their luggage until four days later so they had to buy all new clothes all new hygiene all new everything! I’m furious
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-30
Dear Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are very sorry to hear about the challenges your son faced during his trip to Japan and understand how frustrating and stressful this situation must have been for both your family and your son while traveling abroad.
We take concerns like these very seriously and would like the opportunity to investigate this matter further. Please email us at [email protected] or contact our Customer Support team at 1-888-310-7121 with your son's name, trip ID (if available), school name, and travel dates. This information will help us locate the trip and review the circumstances surrounding this situation in greater detail.
We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention and would welcome the opportunity to better understand your experience.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
Just got back from Peru. Our tour guide was Richard. He was the best!
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-30
Dear Savannah,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad to know that our course leader-tour director made your experience memorable. We will pass on your compliments to them. Your feedback helps us strive for excellence.
Regards,
The WorldStrides team.
S
Shelly B · 3 reviews · Experienced 2026-06-08 ·
★★★★★
Tour guide 5 Stars/Explorica "not so much"
London, Paris, Italy, Greece trip June 8-22, 2026
Group of 27 travelers male/female ages 19-70
If not for the absolutely hardest working group guide, this trip would have been a complete disaster. Who ever put this trip together has no business working for Explorica or any other group/educational tour company. The majority of the provided food meals were a 2 out of 10. And I am being generous on that "2". I know the locations we were eating had better choices because we could see what others were eating. Some breakfast were nothing much more than bread and beans. We are pretty certain that several of our co-travelers were exposed to some sort of allergen or parasite from one of the hotels as they broke out with a nasty rash on lower leg areas. One of those travelers booked a flight back to the states in the middle of our trip due to the risk of infection. Nearly all of the hotels were located in less desirable areas of the city and required lengthy travel times to tour cites. Again, our tour guide went above and beyond the call of duty. I have been on 3 previous group trips and have never experienced such a poorly planned out trip. Do your research and check out the reviews before booking your next group tour.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-25
Dear Shelly.
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. Your comments are essential to our continuous improvement and are we committed to using them to improve our service.
We value your business and hope to regain your trust and have you on a next adventure.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
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Angeline · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-12 ·
★★★★★
Stay away this was a nightmare
I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent tour experience. Unfortunately, this was one of the poorest organized tours I have ever participated in. A significant portion of the issues stemmed from expectations that were communicated before the trip but were not reflected in the actual experience.
From the outset, there was a substantial lack of organization and communication. We were not provided with a complete itinerary in advance, which made it difficult to plan accordingly and understand what to expect throughout the trip. Upon arrival, an excessive amount of time was spent navigating, walking in the wrong direction, or attempting to determine where we were supposed to be. It became evident that our tour guide lacked familiarity with the itinerary and destinations, resulting in missed opportunities and a diminished educational experience.
Communication throughout the tour was consistently inadequate. We were not provided with the names of restaurants in advance or informed about meal arrangements. As a result, I learned quickly to eat substantial lunches because the dinners provided were often insufficient. Similarly, hotel information was not shared in a timely manner, and when it was, there was little to no guidance regarding available amenities or services. In many instances, our accommodations were located 20 to 30 minutes away from the sites we were scheduled to visit the following day, creating unnecessary travel time and reducing opportunities for exploration.
The overall pace of the tour was rushed and poorly managed. We were frequently moved from one location to another without clear instructions or adequate time to appreciate the destinations. Due to communication failures, members of our group were occasionally left behind despite arriving on time. As someone visiting Europe for the first time, I found this particularly frustrating and unacceptable. On one occasion, I was publicly reprimanded for not receiving messages that had been delayed in the group chat, despite the issue being beyond my control.
Another concern was the lack of accommodation for the needs of the group. Several participants faced challenges due to age, mobility, or physical limitations, yet the itinerary and activities did not appear to take those factors into consideration. Additionally, there was a student with a disability who did not appear to receive appropriate accommodations or support throughout the trip.
My most serious concern, however, is the issue of safety. As a parent chaperone, I was fortunate enough to be present and capable of navigating situations independently. However, there were multiple occasions when participants were left without clear information regarding locations, meeting points, or schedules. Had I been a parent at home relying solely on the information being provided, I would have been extremely concerned about the welfare and whereabouts of my child.
I am providing this feedback in the hope that meaningful improvements will be made to prevent future travelers from having a similar experience. Based on this experience, I would not use this company again, nor would I readily recommend guided tours through your organization. The lack of organization, communication, accommodations, and attention to participant safety significantly impacted what should have been an enjoyable and educational experience.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope this feedback will be taken seriously and used to improve on future tours.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-30
Dear Angeline,
Thank you for sharing your comments regarding the inconveniences you faced during your previous trip. We appreciate your feedback and the time you took to provide it.
We sincerely apologize if the service provided did not meet your expectations. Our goal is to offer all our travelers the highest quality service, and we regret that we fell short in your case. Please be assured that we will carefully consider your comments to make the necessary improvements.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further assistance.
Thank you.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team
Just got back from our Spain vacation. Our tour guide was so helpful and knowledgeable.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-25
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
The trip was great. The financial management was an absolute disaster.
It took six months to receive fundraising money that already belonged to families and two months to receive refund cheques. Cheques were mailed to the wrong address multiple times, some were made out to children instead of parents, and even cancelled cheques were sent out.
I've spent more time tracking down money and correcting mistakes than I ever should have had to. For a company entrusted with thousands of dollars from families, this level of financial administration is simply unacceptable.
Great travel experience. Terrible financial service. I would think very carefully before using Explorica again.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-27
Dear Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly glad to hear that the travel experience itself was a positive one; however, we are very sorry to learn about the challenges you encountered with the financial management of your account.
We understand how frustrating it must have been to experience delays in receiving fundraising funds and refunds, as well as the issues with incorrect mailing details and payment processing errors. This is not the level of service we strive to provide, especially when families are entrusting us with significant financial responsibilities. Your experience is taken very seriously, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and time you had to invest in resolving these matters.
Please know that your comments have been shared with the appropriate teams for review. Feedback like yours is critical in helping us identify gaps and improve our processes to prevent similar situations in the future.
If you would like us to review your situation further or require any additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-468-5899 or via email at [email protected]. We are here to help.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team
This trip was the most memorable going to UK, France, and Spain. We also had the best tour director ever, Valentina. She made this experience lovely. I would 100% recommend her to be a tour guide.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-25
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service. We will pass your compliments to our team.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
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Curt Greene · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-03 ·
★★★★★
Explorica US, London and Paris Tour 2026
My Experience on this Explorica London and Paris trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Because of my background as a art teacher, it brought everything to life, from all my 19+ years of teaching. Explorica US created a seamless experience of adventures. The team worked around all the problems they faced, from strikes on mass transit to protest in London. Everything, right down to the selection of the restaurants that catered to everyone's need. I told my wife that this trip was our anniversary, our birthdays wrapped up in one trip. Would I do it again with Explorica US. Absolutely. Fantastic. Loved it.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-16
Dear Curt,
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the learning opportunity our program offers. Your positive feedback is invaluable to us and encourages us to keep improving.
Best regards,
The Explorica by WorldStrides Team.
K
KayLee B · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-01 ·
★★★★★
What an amazing experience
What an amazing experience, best decision ever. Our trip was to Europe, we went all around the UK and Ireland. Our tour guide was Sabela and she did an amazing job, even with some of the people in our group being difficult and not listening she was always professional. The only down side was first our bus driver for Ireland, he was reckless, dangerous, disrespectful to our tour guide, and had bad road rage while driving. Luckily Sabela reported these dangerous situations and was able to get us a new driver. Lastly many of the people in our group paid extra to go see the Windsor Castle, but apparently a week before our trip it got canceled because the Castle wasn't even open that day. Every person that booked that excursive did not automatically get a refund, they had to contact customer service or write an email stating the issue to get a refund. Since this was so last minute our tour guide didn't even know, and we had nothing planned for that whole day. This wasn't to bad because we all had free time to walk around the city. Over all I had a wonderful time and I'm even planning on doing another trip in the future.
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-16
Dear KayLee
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your concerns and appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
Your comments are essential to our continuous improvement, and we truly value your honesty and feedback.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
K
Kara Mancini · 1 review · Experienced 2026-06-09 ·
★★★★★
Ecuador & Galapagos Tour
Our Ecuadorian guide Alfonso was the BEST! He was so knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics and could answer all our questions or could find out the answers about the topic if it wasn’t something he knew. He was very attentive to our group and took into consideration our interests and was able to make the trip more personalized. He was also very attentive if there were health needs that came up during the trip and helpful with advice. We had two other guides in the Galapagos who were just as knowledgeable! Richardo and Pablo. Richardo lives on Santa Cruze and Pablo on Isabela; you could feel the passion and love for their islands when they were talking about things on the tours. Everything was coordinated and organized so well! The hotels and places where we ate were fantastic!! All three guides made my visit absolutely amazing and unforgettable!! Thank you Explorica for the fantastic experience!! Would recommend 100%!
Reply from Explorica US2026-06-16
Dear Kara,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad to know that our course tour directors made your experience memorable. We will pass on your compliments to them.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
