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Safari Sto Gran Tour
Gran Trip to

Philippines

Calendar
12 days
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Spirit of adventure
Balanced
Comforts are almost always available, with the occasional simpler moment. And you know how to appreciate both.
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Rhythm of the journey
Intense
Wow, there’s so much to experience. We race through it far and wide, with little desire to stop.
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Local Transportation
Very local
We’ll have to manage on our own using local transport: buses, trains, and much more. You wanted a real on-the-road adventure, right?

Gran trip

A deep dive into an archipelago so perfect it’s almost infuriating. There are jungles, rice terraces carved into the mountains, and villages hanging in the clouds.
Sound the trumpets, ladies and gentlemen: the Great Philippines!

For 12 days we’ll experience the essence of these incredible islands on a group trip planned step by step. We’ll start in Manila, full of contrasts and wonderfully chaotic. Then we’ll head to the island of Bohol before setting off by boat to explore the stunning little island of Siquijor, still overlooked by many — and we love that. After venturing into the jungle in search of tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills, off we go: Palawan Island awaits us, with Puerto Princesa and the Underground River, the legendary river that runs 8 km beneath the mountains. Yes, we’ll explore it by boat. Then we’ll make a stop in Port Barton, a special and lesser-visited little gem.
And since by then we’ll practically be professional skippers, we won’t be getting off the boat just yet — we’ll keep going toward El Nido and Coron Island, filling our days with unreal beaches, ridiculously beautiful sea views, and swims so good they’ll move you to tears (the Great Philippines can be addictive, but it’s a risk worth taking). Oh, and one more thing: we’ll also sleep in a tent on the beach in El Nido, with the crash of the waves as our soundtrack and a sky lit by a trillion stars.

In short, we’ve got more than a few incredible experiences lined up to enjoy together:

🍌 Manila
🍌 Bohol with tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills
🍌 Siquijor
🍌 Puerto Princesa and the Underground River
🍌 Port Barton
🍌 El Nido
🍌 Coron Island

We don’t travel just to say “I’ve been there,” but to feel “wow, I’ve changed.” We’ll take you on the most beautiful adventure road trip of your life. Everything you imagine — and then some.
Philippines, here we come!

Experiences you'll live
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Sail by boat eight kilometers beneath a mountain.
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Discover what the color azure truly is in the sea of Coron.
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Sleep in a tent on the beach, on a secluded little island in El Nido.
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Relax so completely that you need a break from relaxing.
What we've got
(And the others don't, MUAHAHA)
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Certified team leader with licensed tour escort qualification
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You can customize your trip with extra activities
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We don’t stay in hostels or shared dorms
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You can depart from the airport you prefer

Discover this gran trip

Check out the itinerary

Itinerary map

Boring but important stuff to know

Deposit and registration

To sign up for the trip, you need to:
🍌Pay a deposit, which will be indicated during the booking process, to confirm your spot.
🍌 The remaining balance must be paid 45 days before departure.

And what about payment methods?
🍌You can pay by bank transfer.
🍌You can pay by card.
🍌You can pay for your trip in up to 12 installments with HeyLight.

The final cost of the trip, including any extras you select, will be shown during the booking process and in your personal area.

What's included, and what's not

Included in the trip price

Not included in the trip price

Common fund

Pick your extra activities

Customize your itinerary!
Great idea, with us you can. You can tweak every itinerary by adding the extra activities you want to do on the trip. We've tested and approved every single one. So instead of putting up with an "all inclusive" and paying for stuff you don't like, you're free to choose.

Book your date

You might have questions, we definitely have answers

Deposit, balance, and insurance

Here’s how payments work:

🍌 The deposit must be paid at the time of registration to confirm your spot.
🍌 The remaining balance is due 45 days before departure and can be paid directly in your personal area.
🍌 You can pay by bank transfer, card, or in installments. Choose whichever option is most convenient for you.
🍌 The final trip price, including any extras you select, will be shown during the registration process, in the confirmation email, and in your personal area.

🍌 Before departure, you can purchase cancellation insurance to cover the cancellation of your trip, provided the reason for cancellation falls under the covered cases listed in the insurance PDF. You can view and download this PDF during the registration process, before confirming your trip.
🍌 Purchasing the cancellation insurance we offer is not mandatory. If you feel it does not meet your needs, you are free to arrange your own policy, and we’ll still be friends and travel buddies.
🍌 Sto Gran Tour accepts no responsibility if the participant’s reason for cancelling the trip does not fall within the cases covered by the insurance.
How air travel works

🍌 Your flight is always included in the trip price, departing from Milan or Rome depending on the departure date.
🍌 For an additional fee, you can choose a different departure airport, such as Catania, Naples, Bologna, London… it’s up to you. And if you can’t find your airport, just write to us.
🍌 Group members may have different flight schedules depending on airline availability and the order in which participants booked.
🍌 We’ll share your flight times in your personal area as soon as they become available.
🍌 Booking for two people does not automatically include seats next to each other on the plane, as seat selection comes at an extra cost. However, you can request and add it through your personal area.
🍌 Unless otherwise stated, the flight booking does not include checked baggage. If you really, really want to add it, no problem! You can do so through your personal area.
🍌 If you are absent at the airport on the day of departure due to personal unforeseen circumstances, delays or cancellations of connecting flights, or other means of transport, you will need to reach the destination independently on another flight at your own expense. We’ll help you find a flight, as long as you buy the first round of beers when you catch up with us.
Flight-free option

If you'd prefer to arrange your own flights, no problem! You can select the “without flights” option when you sign up. We’ll deduct the cost of the flights from the trip price, and that’s it. Please note:

🍌 With the “without flights” option, airport transfers are not included.
🍌 With the “without flights” option, domestic flights are still included and arranged by us.
🍌 With the “without flights” option, we ask you to share the flight times you’d like to book so we can confirm whether they are compatible with the rest of the group.
🍌 With the “without flights” option, before purchasing your flights you must wait until the trip has been confirmed. If you buy them before confirmation, we will not reimburse the airfare portion.
How add-on activities work

You can customize your trip with extra activities, which you can choose either when you sign up or later on. Please note:

🍌 If an activity is canceled by the provider, you will be refunded.
🍌 Any special equipment required for each activity will be provided on site.
🍌 You can also choose activities after signing up and add them from your personal area for an additional €5.
🍌 We cannot guarantee activity availability if you add them close to your departure date.
🍌 During peak seasons, such as New Year’s and summer, we cannot guarantee activity availability unless you book well in advance.
🍌 Activity prices may increase at the providers’ discretion.

One more thing! Activities are organized by local providers, and we at Sto Gran Tour are not responsible for changes, availability, or cancellations.
Group and travel companions

Groups usually consist of 3 to 17 people, plus a Trip Leader. The exact number varies depending on the trip. The average age on our trips is generally between 25 and 45, with some exceptions.

Our groups usually bring together people from all over Italy, and they’re all open-minded travelers who love new experiences. You don’t have to be an experienced traveler, and you don’t need to have joined a group trip before. It also doesn’t matter if you’re traveling solo, with your girlfriend, or with your brother. What really matters is the spirit you bring: the desire and curiosity to explore and experience the world. It’ll be what you imagine — only even better.

About a month before departure, we’ll open the Wazzzzup group so you can start getting to know the other travelers. You’ll find the link to the Sto Gran Gruppo in your personal area.

We confirm and activate the trip once we have at least 4 to 6 participants. If we don’t reach the minimum number, you can change your date free of charge to the closest available departure, either for the same destination or a different one. Or you can request a full refund. So when will you know whether the trip is confirmed or not? About a month before departure, when we review the total number of participants.

P.S. Are you cursing us out because you’d love to travel with us, but think you’re outside the age range? Write to us — we might still be able to travel together. And in the worst-case scenario, at least you can insult us in person.
The Team Leader

When you travel with Sto Gran Tour, there’s always a Trip Leader with you. We don’t work with polished bloggers who turn travel into social media content, and we don’t team up with people who just want a free trip. Our Trip Leaders are certified guides—experienced, passionate women and men, as well as licensed tour escorts.

What exactly does a Trip Leader do while traveling, you ask?! Well, the Trip Leader coordinates the group throughout the trip, handling logistics, providing ongoing support, and building team spirit—without being a traditional tour guide. They are not a nature guide, but they make sure each stage of the trip runs according to plan, while adapting to real situations and the group’s needs. They share useful tips about the itinerary, help manage schedules, and make it easier to organize each day. Basically, a saint. They’re the go-to person for questions, unexpected issues, and logistical needs. In short, like a super practical Swiss Army knife who’s always on the ball.
Types of accommodation

Accommodation arrangements are indicated in the section “Important and slightly boring things to know,” under the “Accommodation” entry. Depending on the departure date and the trip, the arrangement shown on the website may differ from the one described. For this reason, you will never see it stated that a specific room type (whether double, triple, or quadruple) is guaranteed with 100% certainty. This is simply because we often do not have full control over our suppliers’ availability.

It is important to keep in mind that, on a group trip, sharing is at the heart of the travel experience: in addition to an incredible journey, you may also end up sharing rooms and bathrooms.

If having a double room is absolutely essential for you, please contact us before departure. That way, we can avoid problems, misunderstandings, and frustration on both sides. Sounds like a fair deal?
Travel itinerary and changes

Even if you’re joining an organized trip, the spirit is that of a true road trip. Absolutely! It’s a real journey: unexpected events, pleasant detours along the route, stops, weather-related obstacles, and more. In practice, what does this mean?

🍌 The itinerary, as well as the order of the days, may change.
🍌 Nature is in charge. We do not provide refunds of the amount paid for itinerary changes due to weather conditions.
🍌 Mechanical issues can happen. We do not provide refunds of the amount paid for itinerary changes caused by mechanical problems (for example, a flat tire, a blown fuse, a broken window, a stolen side mirror, and similar situations).
🍌 If travel days or activities are missed due to bad weather or issues caused by suppliers, we will try to reschedule them if the group agrees to the new travel solution and only if the Tour Leader considers it feasible.
🍌 The layout/size of the means of transport and accommodations may differ from what is indicated in the travel program due to local availability.

Got questions buzzing around your head? Write to us

We're here to listen, tell us everything!
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An evening on your trip

An evening on your trip

You're inside a tent pitched on the beach in El Nido, and your body is still swaying as if you were still on the boat. We spent the whole day that way, hopping from one little island to another, and now you’ve got salt on your skin, sand in your underwear, and one sunburnt arm because maybe, in the end, they were right: you really should have put on sunscreen. Outside, someone from the group is shaking the sand off their feet before stepping into the tent. From the darkness, a voice asks if anyone has seen their flip-flops. No one has. Meanwhile, you switch off your torch, the swaying is starting to fade, and nearby you can hear the waves of that sea you’ll be sailing again tomorrow. “Honestly, who even cares about all this sand in my underwear? I feel amazing.”

This Epic Trip to the Philippines is exactly what you imagine — and then some.

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