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Explore Worldwide announces new tours for 2027 that touch on the parts of destinations most itineraries skip (*Photo courtesy of Explore Worldwide*)

TORONTO, ON – Explore Worldwide, B Corp-certified small group adventure travel operator, announces its first round of new tours for 2027, ready to be booked now. The new departures touch on the parts of destinations most itineraries skip: the lesser-visited north of Sri Lanka rather than the southern beaches, the quiet back side of Mount Fuji rather than the standard Tokyo-Kyoto trip, the rainforests and volcanic highlands of Sumatra rather than Bali, and the white hill villages of Andalucia rather than the coast.

With more than 400 tours across over 100 countries, Explore Worldwide’s 2027 itineraries reflect the company’s mission to create travel experiences that are rooted in hands-on cultural immersion, led by expert local guides, and enjoyed in small groups.

“In the 45 years of developing guided experiences, we’ve learned that it’s not only about the destination itself, but the version of them that most don’t see,” says Katy Rockett, regional director of North America for Explore Worldwide. “Our seasoned product team, alongside our valued partners on the ground, have spent years finding the best routes to take and know the quieter pockets that are worth a look. They’ve spent time building relationships with locally-owned businesses, and know which trails are worth that extra trek. It’s that deep destination knowledge that sets these travel experiences apart.”

A sample of Explore’s first wave of new tours for 2027 include:

The eight-day Highlights of Sumatra tour trades Indonesia’s better-known islands for Northern Sumatra’s rainforests, volcanic highlands and the world’s largest volcanic lake. In Bukit Lawang, travelers trek through Gunung Leuser National Park in search of wild, critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, joined by a guided night walk in search of the park’s nocturnal wildlife. The trip continues with a sunrise climb to the steaming crater of Mount Sibayak before reaching Lake Toba, where a boat tour of Samosir Island introduces the traditions and architecture of the Batak people. Rates start from US $1,380 per person, with departures available from May through September 2027.
The eight-day Essential Japan – Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Kyoto tour pairs Tokyo’s essential sights with the quieter, less-visited side of Mount Fuji. In the capital, travelers take part in a hands-on wagashi sweet-making experience, a traditional tea ceremony, and a lantern-painting workshop before boarding the bullet train to Shizuoka, Japan’s green tea heartland. There, they visit a gyokuro tea farm and take in views of Mount Fuji from Nihondaira Yume Terrace. In Kyoto, the trip includes a Zen meditation session led by a Buddhist monk and a guided hike along the Kurama-Kibune trail through the Kitayama Mountains. Rates start from US $3,730 per person, with departures available from February through November 2027.
The 11-dayTaste of Northern Sri Lanka – Jaffna to Colombo tour is a culinary-focused itinerary through the island’s lesser-visited northern region and cultural heartland. The journey begins in Jaffna, with its ornate Hindu temples and a boat excursion to the remote island of Delft, before continuing to the laid-back coastal town of Trincomalee with a visit to a sunrise fishing market. Throughout, guests will sample regional specialties from Jaffna seafood broth and crab curry to Dutch Burgher-influenced lamprais. Rates start from US $2,460 per person, with departures available from March through October 2027.

Among the new tour departures, Explore Worldwide continues to grow its Upgraded Tours portfolio for 2027, adding four new premium itineraries like the 10-day Upgraded – Highlights of Nepal and Upgraded – Morocco: Imperial Cities, Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

Launched in 2024, the Upgraded collection pairs Explore’s signature hands-on cultural access and expert local leaders with a premium selection of hotels and boutique stays. Explore has seen a 35% increase in bookings for 2026 Upgraded departures. Rockett continues, “As the premium adventure market continues to grow, our Upgraded tours enable us to meet the evolving expectations of travelers while staying true to the authentic, immersive experiences that define Explore.”

The 12-day Upgraded – Highlights of Mexico tour introduces travelers to Mexico’s colorful history, from its captivating capital to the sun-soaked Caribbean coast. The journey covers the cities of Oaxaca and Valladolid, with a food tour of Puebla and a hands-on Oaxacan cooking class, alongside Mayan sites including Coba, Chichen Itza, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan. The itinerary closes with two nights on Cozumel Island. Travelers stay in hand-picked Premium accommodations, including a historic hacienda near Chichen Itza and a beachfront resort on Cozumel. Rates start from US $6,130 per person, with departures available from March through November 2027.
The 11-day Upgraded – Egypt: Cairo, Alexandria & Nile Cruise tour travels from Cairo to Luxor, including a visit to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, home to more than 100,000 artifacts, which opened in November 2025. The journey includes stops in the historic coastal city of Alexandria, a Nile cruise between Aswan and Luxor, along with a calligraphy workshop and a cooking class. Rates start from US $5,120 per person, with departures available from April through November 2027.

Additional new tours will be announced on a rolling basis.

Explore Worldwide has over 45 years’ experience in providing exciting and authentic small-group travel experiences from cultural discovery trips to hiking and cycling adventures. With over 400 trips in 100 countries, Explore’s expertly crafted itineraries combined with award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and a commitment to responsible travel ensure unforgettable travel experiences. Explore has immersive, sustainable travel in its DNA, achieving B Corp Certification, and as a founding signatory of the Glasgow Declaration with one of the leading Climate Action Plans in the industry. In 2022, Explore Worldwide completed the largest carbon-measurement project in the industry, to date, and is now working toward reducing the carbon emissions of its tours by 50% by 2030.

For more information on Explore Worldwide’s breadth of tours and new itineraries, visit www.exploreworldwide.com.

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Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon): EF Go Ahead Tours’ Highlights of Vietnam: Hanoi, Hạ Long Bay & Hô Chi Minh City are two new ways to see Asia through 2026. The company is offering 2025 and 2026 tours as today’s prices, with ability to pay in installments © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

BOSTON — As guided group travel continues to soar in popularity, EF Go Ahead Tours (GAT), a premier provider of culturally immersive and education-based group tours, responds as the first operator to open bookings to all of its tour destinations through 2026. It is the largest and most diverse collection of itineraries to open 35 months in advance. By offering such generous lead time, travelers will realize incredible value by booking future travel at today’s prices. And for ultimate flexibility, EF Go Ahead offers a $99 down AutoPay with payments in manageable monthly installments, one of the few credit and interest-free payment plans in today’s economy.

2023 was an extraordinary year for guided group travel, with all indicators pointing to even stronger future demand through 2025. Based on sales in the last quarter, EF Go Ahead has seen bookings into late 2025 increase by almost 30% compared to 2024 bookings in the same time period last year. Lead time isn’t the only benefit at EF Go Ahead Tours. The company is also expanding its tour offerings in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, focusing on less-traveled, expertly-vetted gems aimed at embedding travelers into local culture, gastronomy, and traditions.

“It’s not just where people want to go, it’s how they want to travel that defines the future of our industry,” says Heidi Durflinger, President, EF Go Ahead Tours. “People want connection and meaning, so they are choosing guided group travel for these transformative moments. By launching more departure dates than ever before to all of our destinations through 2026 (at 2024 prices), we are enabling travelers to plan for the experiences they desire at a tremendous value.”

EF Go Ahead data supports emerging trends for 2024 travel and beyond:

Travelers Are Going Guided for Planning-Intensive Destinations: Based on EF Go Ahead Tours’ recent (November 2023) bookings, trips to both Asia and Africa – two highly desired but not easily accessed destinations—were up 70% in sales compared to November 2022. Looking at the first half of 2024, Thailand and Japan departures are both up 57% compared to the same time in 2023, further underscoring travelers want to access these destinations in a guided group experience. Highlights of Southern Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket & Krabi and Highlights of Vietnam: Hanoi, Hạ Long Bay & Hô Chi Minh City are two new ways to see Asia through 2026.
More Meaningful, Deeper Dives into Culture, Food, and History are on the Rise: In the last few months, bookings for longer tours continue to see a big increase compared to the same time last year, with a 110% increase in tours lasting more than 16 days. Itineraries with a longer “Grand Tour” lens showcase the many advantages of modern group travel with 12+ days of travel. While these tours are increasingly popular in Asia, Grand Tour of Costa Rica: From the Caribbean to the Pacific is an exciting new itinerary that strikes the perfect balance of gastronomy and adventure and The Greek Ionian Islands: Kefalonia & Corfu with Nafplio & the Athens Riviera Extension offers an insider’s look at the less traveled parts of the Greek Isles.
More Opportunities to Connect Through Travel Drives Social Tourism & Solo Tours: The end of 2023 saw a soaring rate of 380% more solo travelers embarking on solo-only group tours than the previous fall. EF Go Ahead continues to strengthen its commitment to the “travel solo, but never alone” style bringing its unparalleled collection of solo-only tours up to 18 offerings in 2023.
“Peak Season” is Now All Seasons: While “hot” seasons like summer will always be popular in Europe, other seasons are growing at a rapid rate—even to destinations like Italy! “Shoulder Season” and off-season—Oct-April—offers less crowds and temperate weather with more access to local charm. In Oct-Dec. of 2023, EF Go Ahead Tours departed 30% more travelers to Italy than during the same period for 2022. Future shoulder season travel to other parts of the world like Asia, Australia, Latin America & Africa are also on the rise.

Value Oriented: All Reward, No Risk.
Booking future trips with EF Go Ahead is a win-win. Travelers lock in today’s costs for future travel and through EF Go Ahead’s AutoPay, travelers benefit from one of the few credit and interest-free payment plans available in the current economy. Flexible, fee-free options allow changes to dates and destinations up to the Tour Finalization Date.

Travelers can visit www.goaheadtours.com for more information and to see all available trips. Check out destinations on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Instagram and Facebook.

EF Go Ahead Tours offers more than 175 guided trips across six continents. Each carefully planned, expertly led tour makes it easy for curious travelers of all ages to get to the heart of a destination. With a maximum group size well below the industry average, each trip has the perfect balance of planned sightseeing and free time to explore. EF Go Ahead Tours is a part of EF Education First, the world’s largest international education company that was founded in 1965. With a mission of opening the world through education, EF Education First has 612 offices and schools in 50 countries.

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