Explore! Discount Code July 2025

Upgrade Me Gently: A Look at Explore’s Premium Tour Sale

Upgrades have a curious way of revealing both our aspirations and our thresholds. What we’ll accept with gratitude (an extra inch of legroom), what we’ll endure without complaint (broken hotel kettles), and, occasionally, what we’re willing to pay a little more for - in pursuit of not quite luxury, but something a notch above sleeping under a gently weaving mosquito net. Explore, a quietly enduring British travel company with a name almost aggressively open-ended, is now offering 10% off its freshly packaged "Upgraded" tour collection. They promise all the adventure of their standard small-group tours, with accommodation that's a bit more tasteful and a bit less... infrastructural.

If you're picturing spa robes and infinity pools, think again. These "Upgraded" tours stay comfortably in the realm of "nicely rustic." Think premium junk boats in Vietnam rather than floating palaces; eco-lodges that offer tranquility, not towel origami. The sale runs until May 21, and quoting the code ‘Upgraded10’ gives you 10% off a grand selection of these itineraries - from classic culture circuits to more far-flung expeditions, like their new foray into Algeria. (An excellent opportunity to tell someone you spent the week "overlanding through Roman ruins." Just don’t mention the long drives.)

The Appeal of Just-Right Travel

Explore has been knocking around this sector for four decades, and unlike trendier disruptors, it isn’t trying to invent an "entirely new way to travel." Its model - guided small-group trips with thoughtful itineraries - is refreshingly traditional. Groups are around 11 people, comfortably shy of the size where someone inevitably forgets the guide's name and starts calling them "Steve." The trips are aimed at people who appreciate local insight but would also like someone else to figure out tipping etiquette.

The Upgraded line launched only recently, and frankly, it's a pragmatic evolution. Increasing numbers of seasoned travellers (especially those who’ve moved beyond the backpacker-hostel phase but haven’t quite committed to matching luggage) are after adventures that don’t revisit their 20s' ligament strain. What you’re paying for here isn’t extravagance. It’s the cessation of mild annoyances: fewer shared bathrooms, fewer hours sleep-deprived on hard mats, more hot water and fewer insect cameos. Small upgrades, but tangible ones.

How the Deal Works (and When It Doesn’t)

The 10% discount on Upgraded tours is available until May 21. You’ll need to quote "Upgraded10" during the booking process, which you can do online or over the phone - yes, they still answer phones. The notable fine print: this applies only to the "Upgraded" collection, so your dreamy Georgian wine trail pedestrian tour is ineligible unless it’s been properly upgraded (and rebranded accordingly).

Prices for these tours vary widely, depending on destination and duration. A 10-day Moroccan itinerary might start at around £1,800 before discount, while a polar trip will send your credit card into cold shock. Still, 10% off a multi-week trip adds up - enough to render optional excursions slightly less painful. Explore’s cancellation policies are relatively flexible, with refunds or rebookings offered under most reasonable circumstances (minus flights, as airlines remain laws unto themselves).

What’s Actually Being Upgraded?

The concept of "upgraded" travel is, by its nature, relative. On the Amalfi Coast, it might mean fewer tour buses and a sea-facing room with armchairs that don’t wobble. In the Andes, it’s probably a solar-powered lodge with actual walls and functioning plumbing. Explore is largely transparent about what you’re getting, though some of the descriptions shade into travel brochure poetic - "hand-picked charm" covers a multitude of sins.

There are a few logistical trade-offs. Transferring to slightly nicer accommodation can occasionally mean longer gaps between them. Nice hotels in rural Guatemala aren’t exactly ten-a-penny. It’s worth checking the route specifics - on some trips, "premium accommodation" includes a couple of nights at "authentic guesthouses," which might be endearing or endurable, depending on your personal fondness for exposed beams and intermittent Wi-Fi.

Verdict: A Sensible Nudge Up the Comfort Ladder

Explore’s Upgraded sale won’t change your life, but it might make it a bit more comfortable. The tours still lean toward culturally curious, often off-the-grid experiences - not the all-inclusive kind where you briefly regret leaving your sun lounger. The 10% discount isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s a decent nudge if you were already considering something along these lines. Excellent for those hovering between high adventure and high thread count.

There are certainly cheaper ways to see the world - though they generally involve deciphering bus timetables in languages you barely speak. And there are flashier ways to do small-group travel too - the kind with monogrammed luggage tags. Explore exists in a quieter middle ground. Functional. Human-sized. Upgraded, yes - but only so far. Mercifully.

More information at explore.co.uk, where the sale runs through 21 May. For bookings, use code "Upgraded10". Calls accepted - no chatbot required.

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