Custom Travel for University Groups

Hand-crafted exploration travel for college groups of any size.

Explore Up Close recognizes that student travelers make some of their most profound discoveries when they have free to explore on their own.  We specialize in crafting itineraries that blend guided group activities with opportunities for independent exploration. Explore Up Close customizes every itinerary to fit your curriculum and budget needs.

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A fully customized itinerary + trip planning services

Explore Up Close Trip Coordinator

Multi-night hotel stays & select group meals

Group transportation

Immersive experiences, engaging site visits & encounters with local experts

The right blend of group activities & free time for exploration in smaller groups

A world of travel study possibilities

What’s your theme?
Irish Literature? Up close and personal in WB Yeats Country, in the Aran Islands, and in Dublin?

Time travel into Beethoven’s Vienna? Day-tripping to Melk Abbey, and behind the old Iron Curtain?

What’s your map?
Tracking along Felix Mendelssohn’s 1830 Bildungsreise (Grand Tour) of Italy?

Descending the Nile? Hiking the Pilgrims’ route to Mt. Sinai?

What’s your adventure?
Discovering Cuba, Then and Now? Caravaning by vintage car to Hemingway’s haunts? Horseback into Trinidad’s sugarcane and cattle outback?

Train and sneakers to Machu Picchu? Hot springs and dark skies on the Altiplano?

Your Study Travel Partner

Our partnership personality: positive, easy-going, and flexible. Our enthusiasm for immersive exploration is melded with our years of experience as group travel planners and guides.

Making the group travel experience easy for you: clear communication, a sharp attention to the fine details, and connections with local experts.

The perfect pace: hustle has its place; so does a magical moment, time to unwind, and individual discoveries. A good trip includes room for them all.

Balanced daily schedules: structured group activities, involving local experts; down time for free time in smaller groups.

Style Points

Across travel themes, we love to work these Explore Up Close features into our Explorers’ Approach for university travel:

  • Lodging in enchanting locations: often in the heart of things; convenient and close to transportation; a hub for exploration in smaller groups
  • Exploring natural beauty and hiking
  • Getting around like the locals: the metro, local trains or funicular, boat or ferry
  • Sample the local flavors: special group meals; authentic food and drink

While cities are often our base, we love to introduce students to rural countryside and quaint villages . . . steeped in rich tradition and culture.
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What professors have to say about Explore Up Close

“I thought the planning was perfect: we were active, but we weren’t too rushed; we felt like explorers, not ‘tourists.’”

“Explore Up Close worked with us closely to perfect the itinerary – and it was spot on.”

“Explore Up Close helped plan and lead a fantastic trip to New Zealand for Converse College. They paid attention to details of the trip and planned high quality excursions. They also left us with an appropriate amount of down time to relax. I highly recommend them.”

“Since the hotels were so centrally located, our students could explore the old city in their own small groups whenever they had some ‘down time.’ They would quickly discover their favorite cafés, plazas, and boutiques, and thoroughly soaked up ‘just being there.’ It was an all-around great experience and I would highly recommend EUC to anyone.”

“Every aspect of the trip was simply amazing. Students and professors had a wonderful two weeks abroad (and all hope to return again someday!) I highly recommend this company for your travel excursions. The planning process was easy and enjoyable. I look forward to considering Explore Up Close for future study travel trips that I may lead.”

“You certainly know your stuff. Being a hiker, and new to South Carolina, this information is a treasure trove.”

– Client Name