Top tour operators

The signature trips from the companies you voted for

Choosing a tour operator can be as tricky as picking a trip. Luckily, you’ve helped solve this dilemma by naming those that made the difference to you over the past year. Ranked as per your satisfaction ratings, these tour ops wowed you the most in our Reader Travel Awards 2018 (p131). So read on for their signature trips…

1 = India Explore a lesser-known corner

Delve Inside Karnataka with Holiday Architects and hunt hidden India. Take in the temples of Belur and Halebid, sniff out incense centres in Mysore and spy tigers and elephants in Nagarhole NP. See the Tibetan communities and coffee region of Coorg, and end on the sands of Neeleshwar. Who: Holiday Architects (01242 253073; indiaholidayarchitects.com) When: Year round How long: 13 days How much: From £2,800 (incl flights)

1 = Ecuador Cruise the Galápagos

See wonders on Llama Travel’s Galápagos + A Taste of Ecuador tour. Stroll colonial streets in capital Quito before cruising star-turn the Galápagos Islands aboard the San Jose, spying wild marine iguanas and penguins before climaxing in tropical Guayaquil. Who: Llama Travel (020 7263 3000; llamatravel.com) When: Selected dates Mar 2018–Mar 2019 How long: 14 days How much: From £4,299 (incl flights)

3. Malaysia Go off-grid

Uncover hidden nooks on Selective Asia’s Borneo: Beyond the Ordinary tour. From jungle treks and bedding down in an Iban longhouse, to exploring the rarely visited bird- and orchid-rich Maliau Basin, known as ‘Sabah’s lost world’. A trip to remember. Who: Selective Asia (01273 670001; selectiveasia.com) When: Year round How long: 14 days How much: From £2,776 (excl flights)

4. Peru The alternative Inca Trail

Ford the Andes from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu with KE Adventure Travel. Trek soaring peaks and deep canyons to descend on the little-seen Choquequirao ruins, before weaving cloud forests and riverine valleys to its iconic Inca sister site. Who: KE Adventure Travel (01768 773966; keadventure.com) When: Selected dates Mar–oct 2018 How long: 13 days How much: From £2,165 (incl flights)

5. Sudan Ignore the stereotype

Join Wild Frontiers and go Beneath the Sands of Sudan. Pitch up in desert camps along the Nile, visit ancient pyramids and Unesco-listed Jebel Barkal across the northern Nubia, and meet the nomadic people that make this land so special. Who: Wild Frontiers (020 3883 7348; wildfrontierstravel.com) When: 10 Nov 2018 How long: 8 days How much: £2,695 (excl flights)

6. Vietnam Bustling streets to backwaters

Have a ‘best of’ adventure with Audley Travel’s Highlights of Vietnam trip. Head north to south, pedalling buzzing capital Hanoi and gliding the karsts of Halong Bay en route to the fox tunnels of capital Ho Chi Minh City and the white sands of Phu Quoc. Who: Audley Travel (01993 838140; audleytravel.com)

When: Year round How long: 16 days How much: From £3,885 (incl flights)

7. Turkmenistan Uzbekistan & Tajikistan Track a legendary route

Join Undiscovered Destinations in the Heart of the Silk Road. This three-country adventure soaks up the mosques and mausoleums of Khiva, the Islamic artistry of Samarkand and slides past waterfalls, lakes and peaks in Tajikistan. Spectacular. Who: Undiscovered Destinations (0191 296 2674; undiscovered-destinations.com) When: 16 Sept 2018; 21 Apr & 15 Sept 2019 How long: 15 days How much: From £2,599 (excl flights)

8. Nepal & Bhutan

Combine two mountain kingdoms

Join Bamboo Travel’s Kathmandu & The Highlights of Bhutan trip and go from the dzongs (fortresses) and palace of Bhutan capital Thimpu to the terraces and Tiger’s Nest Monastery of the Paro Valley before easing up in Nepalese village Nagarkot. Who: Bamboo Travel (020 7720 9285; bambootravel.co.uk) When: Year round How long: 13 days How much: From £2,895 (incl flights)

9. Spain Ride the Spanish rails

Take the Slow Train through Asturias with Inntravel, winding the lush Costa Verde, passing the fishing villages of Cudillero and Ribadesella, and soaking up the scenic character of Oviedo’s Old Town, all against a backdrop of the rugged Picos de Europa. Who: Inntravel (01653 617007; inntravel.co.uk) When: 1 May–23 Jul & 1 Sept–31 Oct 2018 How long: 7 nights How much: From £595 (excl flights)

10. UK to Italy Enjoy a classic journey

Hop on board the Venice Simplon-orient-Express with Kirker Holidays for a travel classic. Steam rolling French countryside and alpine Swiss hills while devouring fine wine and cuisine en route to the labyrinthine streets and canals of Venice. Who: Kirker Holidays (020 7593 1899; kirkerholidays.com) When: Year round How long: 3 nights How much: From £2,548 (incl 1 flight)