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Best price guarantee Learn More
- Platinum Operator
- Expat Explore Travel
- Explorer
- Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
- Group Tour
- Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
- Fully Guided
- An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
- Guided in English
- Group Size 1 - 50
- Ages 10+
Places You’ll See
Highlights
- Explore every country in the Balkan Peninsula
- Free days to enjoy Dubrovnik, Budapest and Sofia
- Explore Delphi, Meteora and Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Visit Kotor, Budva, Tirana, Ljubljana, Belgrade and Thessaloniki
Itinerary
- Introduction
- Day 1 Start of tour in Athens
- Day 2 Delphi - Meteora - Kalabaka
- Day 3 Kalabaka - Ohrid
- Day 4 Ohrid - Tirana
- Day 5 Budva - Kotor - Dubrovnik
- Day 6 Dubrovnik: Free Day
- Day 7 Dubrovnik - Mostar - Sarajevo
- Day 8 Sarajevo - Split - Northern Croatia
- Day 9 Northern Croatia - Plitvice Lakes - Ljubljana
- Day 10 Ljubljana - Maribor - Lake Balaton - Budapest
- Day 11 Budapest: Free Day
- Day 12 Budapest - Novi Sad - Belgrade
- Day 13 Belgrade - Niš - Sofia
- Day 14 Sofia - Rila Monastery - Thessaloniki
- Day 15 Thessaloniki - Kamena Vourla - Athens
- Day 16 End of tour in Athens
What's Included
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Additional Services
- Transport
- Free eSIMTourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Insurance
- Optional
- Additional Services
Customer Photos
Operated by
Expat Explore Travel
Number of tours
83
Age Range
10 to 80 years old
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
88%
Expat Explore is one of the industry’s leading coach tour operators. Their...
Read moreSustainability Initiatives
Animal Welfare
Supporting Destinations
Sustainability Programs
Customer Reviews
- Overall RatingExcellent
- ItineraryExcellent
- GuideExcellent
- TransportExcellent
- AccommodationGood
- FoodGood
- AAnonymous· November 11th, 2024I was blessed to have met 47 new friends. Expat Explore's Balkan itinerary was well thought of. Their chosen local guides were expectacular! We saw beautiful places, learned a lot, enjoyed local cuisine, and more. I have already reserved 1 tour with Expat and another w/ Tour Radar. Tour Radar is easy to navigate and staff are helpful.Show more
Trip date: October 2024 
Rosemary· July 7th, 2024Walking tour in Belgrade was far too long, guide was extremely knowledgeable but we needed a short explanation of the history. At the end of day we were too exhausted to listen.Show more
Expat Explore Travel commented on this reviewThank you for your feedback on the walking tour. We appreciate your comments about the length of the tour, and we'll take this into consideration to ensure our tours strike the right balance between information and pacing. Your input helps us improve,... Show moreTrip date: June 2024- HCharley· October 9th, 2023the tour in general was okay, the tour guide was great but there are some optional trip ( with payment) like danube river dinner cruise which has no service vehicle to take us from the hotel to pier and making us walk to & from the river pier was a letdown.Show moreExpat Explore Travel commented on this reviewThank you for your feedback regarding the optional Danube River dinner cruise. We're delighted to know you found the tour guide great. Your insights are valuable as we continually strive to improve our services. We look forward to hosting you again on... Show moreTrip date: September 2023
- DBDebra· September 12th, 2023We spent more time in the bus than seeing sights, the lunch breaks were way to short, Bulgaria should be removed and many of the hotels were subpar. Only 4 rooms had safes and only 1 worked. Beds were mostly hard. Our group was too big, 42 travelers and too hard to keep track of. There was an extreme amount of difficult walking. We were constantly dragging luggage around. Never again.Show moreTrip date: August 2023
- Brady· September 11th, 2023For a 16-day tour, you should consider more than one hotel that actually has a fitness center. Those long bus rides take a toll on the body!Show moreExpat Explore Travel commented on this reviewThank you for sharing your thoughts on your experience. Your feedback is valuable, and we will be sure to pass this information along to the relevant department for future tours. We hope we can welcome you back in future.Trip date: August 2023
- DPDaryl· June 4th, 2023Fast paced, and enjoyable. Ten countries in sixteen days, organized to the point it was a pleasure to experience. Our guide Rogan kept us informed and gave great background information of things we were about to experience. I will relive this adventure many times in my head.Show moreTrip date: May 2023
- Ravichandar· October 30th, 2022The tour was generally ok but some hotels don't have kettles for us to make hot drinks, they don't even provide one when we ask the housekeeping, That caused some issues as we need to take medicine.Show moreTrip date: September 2022
- Julianne· July 25th, 2022Will was an excellent guide. He was knowledgeable about each city and its culture/people:etc. plus his sense of humor made the trip so fun.Show moreTrip date: July 2022
- VPVictoria· June 19th, 2022Our Balkan explorer 16 day 10 country tour was excellent our Tour guide Will is excellent as will as our Driver They work together to keep us moving 10 countries is not easy they made it easy, fun and funny at times. Will is great at what he does, lots of funny stories and very knowledgeable on all the countries we visited. I will recommend Expat tour to my friends and family Brenda Mills from Vancouver,WAShow moreTrip date: May 2022
- Jolene· April 25th, 2022A well-planned, well-executed trip! I very much enjoyed the entire experience. At first, when it was announced to our group of 38 that we would be rotating seats on a daily basis, I was a bit skeptical. However, I soon realized that it was actually a very good idea, as everyone got their turn having the front seat, etc. and nobody could fuss over who sat where. Our guide, Carly, was very experienced with group travel, very knowledgeable, and a pleasure to have as a guide. Our accommodations were great, the meals were very good, and we saw some fabulous sites during the trip. I really liked the 2-night stays in both Dubrovnik and Budapest, with enough free time to go to the beach in Croatia and the baths in Hungary! I would travel with Expat Explorer again in a heartbeat!Show moreTrip date: July 2019
Dates & Availability
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- Rated excellent on
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- 24/7 customer support
- Earn $50 in travel credits
- Free eSim with every purchase
To protect your payment and ensure your booking will be processed in Australia, never transfer or communicate outside of the TourRadar website or app.
- From Thursday21 Aug, 2025To Friday5 Sep, 2025This departure date is not available or sold outSold outFrom:NZ $4,575 per person
- From Thursday28 Aug, 2025To Friday12 Sep, 2025This departure date is not available or sold outSold outFrom:NZ $4,575 per person
- 1 Other Unavailable Departure
- Instant ConfirmationFrom Thursday11 Sep, 2025To Friday26 Sep, 2025EnglishAlmost Sold OutFrom:NZ $4,575 per personMultiple Room Types
- Instant ConfirmationFrom Thursday18 Sep, 2025To Friday3 Oct, 2025EnglishAlmost Sold OutFrom:NZ $4,270 per personMultiple Room Types
- From Thursday2 Oct, 2025To Friday17 Oct, 2025This departure date is not available or sold outSold outFrom:NZ $4,575 per person
- Instant Confirmation-2%From Thursday23 Oct, 2025To Friday7 Nov, 2025EnglishFrom:$4,575NZ $4,495 per personMultiple Room Types
- Instant Confirmation-4%From Thursday23 Apr, 2026To Friday8 May, 2026EnglishFrom:$4,900NZ $4,685 per personMultiple Room Types
- Instant Confirmation-8%From Thursday7 May, 2026To Friday22 May, 2026EnglishFrom:$4,900NZ $4,525 per personMultiple Room Types
- Instant Confirmation-12%From Thursday14 May, 2026To Friday29 May, 2026EnglishFrom:$4,900NZ $4,335 per personMultiple Room Types
- Instant Confirmation-12%From Thursday28 May, 2026To Friday12 Jun, 2026EnglishFrom:$4,900NZ $4,335 per personMultiple Room Types
What our customers ask about this tour
The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.- M
Morgan
Asked on July 3rd, 2025I noticed the optional Acropolis tour on the first day says it's very popular and requires to be booked before the start of the tour. I would like to know when this is available to be booked.
Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written July 2025Once you have a confirmed booking we can add the Acropolis option excursion to your reservation.
- B
Becky
Asked on June 17th, 2025Would we be able to take this tour?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written June 2025
We believe the best way to get to the heart and soul of a city is on foot, surrounded by the people and the culture. For this reason, we do walking tours through most of the cities we visit. Many of the cities you visit are vast and old, often with steps and cobblestones. Our walking tours can last up to 3 hours with plenty of opportunities to take photographs and soak up the history of these fascinating places, but you do require a certain level of fitness to enjoy your tour to its fullest.
- V
Vicky
Asked on June 13th, 2025How do I access a printable itinerary for the Balkan Explorer
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written June 2025
To download a printable itinerary for this tour, simply visit the tour description page again and click 'Download PDF Brochure'. You'll then receive an email with the PDF attached.
- D
Daniela
Asked on June 8th, 2025Can you please confirm if I can just cover the tour from Ohrid to Thessaloniki? If yes, what would be the dates/ price differential for the same?
- D
Daniela
Traveler•Written June 2025I am an Indian passport holder but have a Schengen VISA and UK residency. What would be the VISA requirement for me to travel to these countries
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written June 2025
Our tours are designed as full-package group experiences, and while it's possible to catch up to the group at a later destination or leave the tour early, we want to highlight that the tour price remains the same, regardless of how many days you choose to join.
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written June 2025
For the Balkan Explorer tour, which includes Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria, your valid Schengen visa will allow you entry into the Schengen countries on the itinerary: Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary. For the non-Schengen countries — North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Bulgaria — many of them generally allow Indian passport holders with a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa or UK residency to enter for short stays (typically up to 15–30 days), depending on the specific country's policy.
2 more answers - B
Brittany
Asked on May 10th, 2025Can we take part in this tour with a multiple-entry Schengen visa? It is difficult for us to get the visas for all these countries from Bangladesh separately. We can try for a Schengen visa from Greece.
- B
Brittany
Traveler•Written May 2025Will you be able to assist us with the visa processing (i.e. proof of hotel bookings, itinerary etc.)?
- B
Brittany
Traveler•Written May 2025When do you want us to book the tour at the latest?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written May 2025
For Visa requirements, you might have to check online for the individual requirement for each country visited on this tour, if they only require Schengen Visa for holders of an Active Passport from Bangladesh.
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written May 2025
We do provide Visa Supporting Documents as listed below. * eTicket and Visa Letter * Itinerary and Accommodation List. However, these documents are only released to customers when the following conditions are met. 1. Booking is Paid in Full. 2. The Tour's start date is within the next 90 Days.
B3 more answers - B
Bob
Asked on April 11th, 2025Please could you email thru the list of optional tours and charges.
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written April 2025
Optional excursions available in different locations include Athens Food Tour (€60), Acropolis Guided Tour (€45), Albanian Evening (€60), Blue Cave Boat Tour (€85), Taste of Ljubljana (€60), Buda vs Pest Tour (€80), Budapest Baths (€45), and Danube Dinner Cruise (€65).
- K
Katherine
Asked on March 23rd, 2025What are the travel insurance requirements? Is it a must to have? Is this tour operated in English mainly?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written March 2025
Travel insurance is mandatory. A suitable insurance policy should provide adequate cover for medical expenses arising through illness or accident prior to or during the holiday. The tour is operated in English.
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written March 2025Do you or the hotel provide airport pickup and drop off in Athens?
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written March 2025Do you have any promotions or price drops coming up?
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written March 2025If we fly in the day before, does that mean the hotel will not be covered for that night?
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written March 2025Do you have a list of the hotels being used for this trip?
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written March 2025For day 1's included welcome dinner, is this at the hotel or somewhere else? For the rest of the included dinners, are these at the hotels or restaurants? Where can we see a list of optional excursions and how can we book those? What currency is accepted by the tour guide? How do we keep in contact with our guide? Can we receive a list of hotels to share with relatives? Does the bus have charging ports?
- K
Katherine
Traveler•Written April 2025What is the base minimum requirement for trip cancellation insurance? Does it need to cover the entire cost of the trip? Are there only 2 spots left on the trip?
KK6 more answers - R
Ryan
Asked on March 8th, 2025What is the weather like in Oct? What will be the group size? List of hotels to stay? Will we visit Lake bled? Is Acropolis included in Athens?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written March 2025
Weather in the Balkans around October would be typically warm with average daily temperature of about 21 Degrees. Tours have a maximum capacity of 48 Pax and Hotel Confirmations are done around 90 Days before the tour starts. The tour does not visit Lake Bled and Acropolis is not covered on the package, but it is offered as an Optional Excursion.
- R
Ryan
Traveler•Written March 2025Could you please give me list of all paid excursions so I can organise ahead of time?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written March 2025
Optional excursions include: Athens Food Tour (€60), Acropolis Guided Tour (€45), Albanian Evening (€60), Blue Cave Boat Tour (€85), Taste of Ljubljana (€60), Buda vs Pest Tour (€80), Budapest Baths (€45), Danube Dinner Cruise (€65).
R2 more answers - A
Arthur
Asked on January 20th, 2025Can your company help us obtain a visa to Serbia. We are Malaysians. Can we change the itinerary to be from Athens to Split.
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written January 2025
As an organized adventure platform, TourRadar is not a Visa authority. Visa requirements are regularly being updated and vary from one traveler to the next depending on nationality and residence etc.
- A
Arthur
Traveler•Written January 2025It is difficult for Malaysians to get a Serbia visa. There is not embassy to apply visa. Hence, we would like to change the itinerary for a group of 20 to 24 Malaysians. Can your company accept our itinerary from Athens to Split?
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written January 2025
We do not have the capacity to offer customizations to the tours that we offer at this point.
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written January 2025
We are a sister company Of Expat Explore and we could work with you to put together a customizable itinerary to fit your needs. Do you have the details of the period you would like to travel and an idea of where you would like to visit. We would be happy to put a quote together for you.
A3 more answers - P
Pauline
Asked on November 22nd, 2024Pricing on the trip - Black Friday sale price of USD $2124 vs current price of USD $2655
- Expat Explore TravelOperator•Written November 2024
Black Friday Sale only applies to October 23, 2025 departure. Current seat price for June 25, 2025 departure is 2,745 USD.
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Tour ID: 91278
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