Explorers Connect -

David Walsby Payne

I loved my weekend away with Explorers Connect. Despite not knowing many people on the trip it felt like I was with old friends. Everyone was so friendly and genuine. I will be attending many more of their events and look forward to meeting more members.

Everything was well organised. I was provided all information of what I would need and what would happen over the weekend. Explorers Connect made everything from booking through to sharing photos and keeping in touch with new friends easy.

Over all Explorers Connect exceeded my expectations. Brilliant hosts, welcoming members and adventurous spirits all round made for a weekend I will remember for a long time.

Good food too, which certainly didn't go a miss.

Greg Childs

In April 2019 I joined the Explorers Connect trip to Everest Base Camp. It had always been on my bucket list to do and I am so glad I was finally able to achieve it. The Explorers Connect trip was amazing and I am extremely glad I booked my trip through them and no one else. Excellent organisation both in the UK and in Nepal itself. Our guides over in Nepal were incredible and made the whole experience unforgettable. They always went the extra mile to make sure you felt welcome, comfortable and happy. We also had excellent pre-trip information made available and the office were always happy to answer any query’s or concerns about the trip.

Prior to the trip we were all strangers, from a wide variety of backgrounds, and now we are all friends and still keep in contact with each other. The team spirit and camaraderie that was present on the trip was amazing and is a mark of how welcoming and enjoyable the Explorers Connect community is, no matter who you are. I would definitely book another trip with them – both a UK trip or an overseas trip without hesitation. The prices always seem very reasonable for the adventures too.

I would 100% recommend booking with Explorers Connect if you dream of reaching Everest Base Camp. I did, and it is the best and most memorable experience of my life so far.

Paula Reid

I have enjoyed some incredible adventures with Explorers Connect and met friends for life through their meetings, talks, festivals and adventurous activities. It's always brilliantly organised so that you know you are going to be looked after and safe enough to then let go and enjoy the adventure that ensues in great company. It's a great concept - to connect all sorts of people through all sorts of adventures - and I recommend that everyone gives it a go....

David Coats

Booked the Great Glen Way Canoe trail with Explorers Connect in 2020. The trip was postponed in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the pandemic. Despite sticking with Explorers Connect during this time Explorers Connect chose to cancel the trip & refund monies (full refund not received), rather than simply allow its contracted operator to run the trip. Poor customer service & communication from Explorers Connect, an organisation which considers itself an advocate of mental health issues. Will not be using again.

Edit following EC response - Explorers Connect has missed the point completely with its response. I have no issue with Explorers Connect having no option but to cancel the trip due to the Covid-19 pandemic (on two occasions), however, I chose to stick with Explorers Connect and wait until the trip could operate. I would have been entirely within my rights to request a refund but chose not to in order to support a small company/operator going through an extremely tough time.

However, when restrictions relaxed and the trip was able to run, Explorers Connect decided it no longer wanted to run the trip and chose to cancel.
There was absolutely no need for this action as Explorers Connect had subcontracted the trip to another operator in any event and was therefore not obliged to partake itself, it could have simply have let the trip run.

Choosing to cancel simply inconvenienced its loyal customers that had stuck with it during the tough pandemic period. The correspondence received from Explorers Connect when it cancelled the trip was also unsympathetic and provided no reasonable explanation for the trip being cancelled.

I also paid a membership fee to Explorers Connect which I did not get the opportunity to use. This was not refunded. Explorers Connect appears to have conveniently forgotten about this.

The response received from Explorers Connect to my review sums up the organizations attitude to its customers, these being customers that stuck by during tough times. It also demonstrates its sever ineptitude towards basic customer service.

Matthew Lay

Over the years I've done over a dozen EC trips and keep coming back. Apart from the planned activities, which are consistently well organised and fun excursions, it's the people that attend that make the trip. Like-minded, and up for adventure: friends are made quickly, and frequently are re-encountered on subsequent trips.

Adrian Shedden

I've been on a few first aid courses with EC, which have been well run and led by great facilitators. Last weekend was my first trip (Packrafting in Snowdonia) through EC and run by the fantastic team at Tirio (Jason, Marianne and Simon). They made sure that everyone had fun and learnt new packrafting skills and interesting facts about the area around Betws y Coed in a very safe environment with great leadership. The information and support for enquiries provided by Rowan at EC leading up to the trip was perfect. Can't recommend EC and Tirio highly enough!

Rich K

Love Explorers Connect, well organised and run and packed with beautiful people. Can't wait for the next event that I can attend.

Steve Bullock

Amazing group of people. Thursday night talks are always inspiring, and I’ve been on some fantastic adventures! Just got back from canoeing across Scotland! Recommend.