"I don't understand this quesiton. Important for what people to know? You or people thinking of using Explorica or parents or students?"

The tour guide, Emma, tried her very best, but she was in over her head. She needed more time with a mentor before being in charge of a group by herself. She wasn't familiar enough with Paris or the metro or the airport so there was a lot of waiting and googling. The itinerary and hotels were changed by Explorica after we were given our schedule. The restaurants were far from our hotels so it meant long walks or metro rides late at night. I'm wondering if either the hotel or restaurants could have been changed. 2 meals were the same (crepes) on the trip, we were hoping for more variety. Out of the 8 dinners there were only 2 with vegetables (salad), all the other dinners were meat and carb.

"A true adventure "

The group liked the itinerary and the activities. Food was also great for the most part. There were two areas where I think Explorica could have done better: hotels and the time spent on the bus.

"Not Happy"

I wasn't happy with how our trip was organized what so ever. I wouldn't plan with Explorica again.

They try to pack too much into one day which is all unrealistic.

They don't guarantee that you will be on the same floor of the hotel as your students. We were booked 3 floors above them for one hotel and had a student emergency at that hotel.

Our tour guide WAS HORRIBLE!! He put our students in danger multiple times. He slapped a car hard as we were passing the street without putting into consideration that the person driving could have come out and attempted to hurt our students. He took students WITHOUT OUR CONSENT to a gas station early morning to buy water. He had a major attitude when we told him we wanted to cut certain activities. He just dropped us off places and said ok see you in x amount of hours. He also was not communicating with the bus driver at all. We had to walk back and forth multiple times to get on our bus.

The one amazing thing about our trip was Mr. Luke, our bus driver. He was like a father to the kids. He showed interest in their lives, he paid for their dinners if they didnt have credit cards, he actually spent time with them and gave them life advice. He was incredible. WE ALL LOVED MR. LUKE SOOOOO MUCH!!!

I won't be planning at trip with Explorica again, but I would do whatever it takes to get Mr. Luke as a driver the next time we do plan a trip with ANY company.

"5th trip that exceeded all expectations"

This is my fifth trip with Explorica to Costa Rica, and it was great. I always feel safe and the guide is always so helpful.

"I was happy with the tour for the most…"

I was happy with the tour for the most part. A few suggestions would have been spending more time in La Fortuna doing more activities in that area instead of outside of that area. Like the night walk, zip-lining, and horseback riding.

The horseback riding we did do, wasn't worth the effort. We were on the horses for barely 15 mins, it was dusty and didn't get to enjoy any vistas. We rode up to the first ziplining platform that wasn't far from the main building. In the past, we were on the horses for a long ride through the forests and got to see a lot of beautiful viewpoints.

The food was great except for the first boxed dinner and the last paper bag breakfast. I don't think any of the students ate any of the food in those two meals.

Our Guide and hotel rooms were great!

"I have been traveling with Explorica…"

I have been traveling with Explorica for 22 years, and my trust in them has only strengthened over time. The tour directors are not only friendly but also competent, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all travelers. Explorica puts together fantastic itineraries for students, striking a balance between educational and engaging activities.

While the accommodations may be on the smaller and spartan side, they are always clean and adequate for the trip's purposes. Given that we spend minimal time at the hotels due to the packed schedule, the simplicity of the accommodations hardly hinders the overall experience.

What I appreciate most about Explorica is their commitment to safety and their dedication to providing an authentic cultural experience. I always feel secure and immersed in the local culture during their trips. Overall, Explorica is a reliable choice for educational travel, offering a well-rounded experience that is both enriching and enjoyable.

"Look for another tour group to use"

We used explorica for the first time over spring break 2024. Communication leading up to the event was terrible. We were not told of deadlines to secure tickets to attractions, resulting in missed opportunities to see major things, we were not seated as a group on flights, we were not housed near our students at hotels, and hotels told us our tour company pre-booked specific rooms (every hotel).
This was also a very over priced option with significant lack of transparency in fees, costs and overall value. Our local guides were ok. one was outstanding, and two were just ok. My co-chaperone and I did a lot of research pre trip and students did a lot of pre-learning, and we seemed to have a better understanding of some of the history and facts, and asked to see things they were not aware of or had never done as they were "out of the normal mass tour group schedules.
It was also holy week, no one mentioned to us all the complications that would come with this.
We would have liked more authentic group food experiences, vs. always eating at the hotel, or the local spots where all tour groups eat.
Our tour director and coach driver however, were excellent.

"The Trip of a Lifetime "

From the time we boarded the plane until we step back off to go through customs in America, Explorica was outstanding. They dot their “i’s” and cross their “T’s” to ensure that it is a worry free experience that is filled with learning, growing and excitement!

"Explorica arranged a return flight on a…"

Explorica arranged a return flight on a Friday that was canceled. It has been three days and the whole group is still stranded in Barcelona. There’s been no communication from Explorica and they have not arranged any flights as of yet… It has been three days of the girls just sitting in a hotel room waiting for a standby flight with no help.

"Vancouver/Canada the very best"

I have been using Explorica/ WorldStrides for over 15 years and this was one of the best trips. Our tour guild and bus driver made it even better. Explorica helped to create memories to last a lifetime!