How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Knowledgeable.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Make sure it is not too full. 16 people were too much.

Do you have anything else to add?

Explore need to update their trip notes and they need to be more accurate. One example only-  the holiday finished effectively 3pm the day before. When we returned to Port having run out of food and drink the boat was washed down  leaving nowhere dry to sit that evening. The final meal was canned food.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Super!!!!!!!!!

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Apart from age discrimination I would recommend it even if one is an asssistance case in airports - my wife can't walk that far.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

He handled what could have become a very difficult situation in a manner that belied his age very well done

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Take a good pair of walking and aqua shoes buy food outside the airport...Dalaman is VERY EXPENSIVE

Do you have anything else to add?

Another well thought out holiday run in a relaxed manner but be aware that neither you nor explore know anything about the people you will be spending a lot of time with in relativly confined space

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Our tour leader, Diren, was superb and made sure everybody was looked after. She was extremely knowledgable about the history of the area and nothing was too much trouble.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Pack light and, if you travel in July /August ,be prepared for extremely hot conditions. Sleeping in our comfortable but hot cabins was not an option - far more comfortable to sleep on deck in the sea breezes.

Do you have anything else to add?

There was some confusion and difficulties booking flights and transfers. Prices of flights fluctuated wildly and could not be guaranteed for even 24 hours when trying to book this trip by phone.  Transfers were not  arranged for some of the travellers, and it was generally felt that the booking procedure in the UK was not up to Explore's usual high standard. In contrast, the travel arrangements connections in Turkey were efficient and well organised.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Tour leader was switched on to the needs of the tourist. everything ran smoothly and never went lacking.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Prepare to relax. And swim. I never swam so much in the sea as I did on this holiday.

Do you have anything else to add?

Enjoy the scenery and the feeling of a pioneering explorer arriving at a secluded beach in a sailing boat

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Tour leader kept us invogorated on the land explorations and relaxed during the time on the water palace.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

the cabins are very hot during summer. Be prepared to find a nice spot on deck and sleep under the stars.

Do you have anything else to add?

Bring several swimming costumes, there is lots of opportunity to swim several times a day.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Our tour leader was excellent. He was very knowledgable on the area and on Turkish nature and history in general.He listened to the group's wishes and we got together every evening to discuss what we wanted to do the next day and that worked out fine every time. He was also good companyh and joined in our silly games in the evening after a gorgeous dinner and cold wine.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Don't take many clothes but do take a pair of stout walking shoes. Shoes are not worn at all on the boat unless the deck is very hot and then a pair of flip flops are fine. Then just enjoy yourselves.

This was for us a diversion from our normal type of holiday. Usually we go walking but decided to try something a bit different.  It was lovely to be able to chill out on the boat and spend lots of time swimming in lovely coves. I am not a strong swimmer and do not usually like swimming but the water was a delight and very buoyant. It was extremely hot which was to be expected at the end of July but very humid which we did not expect. This was ok during the day if the boat was sailing or you were swimming but the trips ashore to ancient sites were sweltering! At night the cabins were unbearably hot and I was surprised this had not been mentioned in the reviews I read. Most people slept on deck although this could be a problem on the couple of occasions the boat sailed at 4am, so you have to like communal sleeping or sweat it out in the cabin. 

Snorkelling was disappointing as there were very few fish in the water and very little bird life to watch.  Overall it was a relaxing holiday, the food and company were good. The highlights for me were the ancient Roman and Lycian sites. (CE -25th July 2011)

A brilliant trip led by an excellent tour leader - everyhting was perfect - the weather - the boat and crew - the sea  - perfect for swimming and snorkelling - the visits ashore to lycian sites - the nightlife - the group - cannot think of anything that wasn't fantastic!!!!! (CE -8th August 2011)

As soon as we met our Tour Leader and he introduced us to both the crew and our beautiful wooden gulet I could tell we were going to have an excellent week travelling along the Lycian Shore of Turkey.  On offer to us was a mixture of visits to historical sites, an exciting walk through a gorge, kayaking, as well as plenty of time to relax on the spacious deck or swim and snorkel in beautiful quiet coves.  A few nights moored in those quiet coves were balanced with a couple of stopovers in Turkish harbour towns with nightlife on offer if you wanted it.  Although 'local speciality' food was expected, we hadn't anticipated the excellent quality and variety, or the big happy family feeling of everyone sitting together for meals around one table talking about each day's experiences and looking forward to those yet to come.  This tour will suit anyone who enjoys a mixture of excitement and relaxation - just balance them as you want although my advice would be to try everything offered - and I'd never spent more than a day on a boat before this! (CE - 13th Sep 2010)

Highlights: walking through the gorge, birthday cake made for me on the boat, sunsets,  seeing dolphins in Fethiye harbour at our last meal at breakfast, snorkeling with loggerhead turtle, crew launching the spinnaker on the gulet boat to actually sail back to the harbour- a very rare thing indeed! (CE- 9th August 2010)

An outstanding week. Great food on board, good company, interesting stops along the coast, and wonderful warm waters to swim in. We would recommend it highly. Two tips.  Don't buy Turkish Lira in the airport. Use the machines outside, which offer a better exchange rate. You should drink lots of water, so save money by buying big 5L containers, which are sold in all the ports. (CE- 12th July 2010)