The pandemic manhandled our travel plans to the backseat. All you can do is ogle at travel vlogs and wish you had focussed more on your travel itinerary.
But with Amazon Explorer, you need not feel guilty anymore.
Amazon Explorer allows you to take virtual tours of famous and exquisite landmarks from around the globe.
That’s not all, it also features classes and short workshops where professionals from different fields demonstrate their tricks of the trade.
In this Amazon, Explorer review find out how you can book one-on-one private virtual tour sessions from around the globe. Visit picturesque landmarks, interact with your tour guide and shop from local shops while at your home.
What is Amazon Explorer?
Amazon Explorer is an interactive live-streaming virtual tour service. By booking a tour on Amazon Explorer you can get personal or group tours of historical landmarks, and investigate new locales with local expert guides from around the globe.
All the virtual tours are live-streamed in high quality and are not prerecorded. Be it a private or a group tour you can interact with your guide and ask them questions.
You can skim through various virtual tours, check out their offerings, read reviews of the host, and schedule your virtual tour from the comforts of your home.
What can you do with Amazon Explorer?
You can also book virtual learning and creativity sessions with your host and learn a new skill and get hands-on tips from experts.
In selected Amazon Explorer private sessions, you can also ask your guide to take you street shopping and check out the local boutiques or craftsmanship of local artisans. During your tour, if you like any item your host can buy the product and ship it to you after the session.
Want to capture moments from your virtual tour? Click on the Camera icon at the bottom of your screen during your session and make memories out of your virtual tour.
They also have an Amazon Explorer $10 sale, where you can choose from virtual experiences for only $10.
Can I interact with my guide on Amazon Explorer?
All virtual sessions feature 1-way video and 2-way audio. That means you can interact and see your host while your host can only hear you. So during your tour, you can ask them your queries about the landmarks and places you visit.
You can even ask them to take a detour or skip a certain landmark altogether if it’s not matching up to your vibe.
Also, during your Amazon Explorer virtual tour, you can click on any portion of the screen to indicate where you want your guide to take you next. You can use this feature to select merchandise for shopping too.
Want to interact directly with a shopkeeper? By turning on the external speaker you can directly ask the shopkeeper what kind of item you are looking for or thank them for your purchase.
All in all, you have complete control over your virtual touring experience.
Best Amazon Explorer Virtual Tours
So far in this Amazon Explorer review, we talked about its features and capabilities. Now let’s check out some of the highly-rated Amazon Explorer tours
1. Peruvian Pisco: A Virtual Cocktail Class
- Session Duration – 60 minutes
Learn to make the Pisco Sour as well as Chilcano drink, also referred to as the national drink of Peru. Your host will walk you through the Pisco Sour’s distillation process and cultural history surrounding it.
During this cocktail class, you will discover the ingredients that give the Pisco its distinct flavor and also learn about other Peruvian drinks that you can make with Pisco.
If Peruvian alcohol is your vice you are in for a treat.
Price – $35
2. Munich: The City of Churches, Palaces, and Beer Gardens
- Session duration – 60 minutes
In this virtual walking tour, you will learn about Munich’s past. Your host will start the tour at Marienplatz, narrating the story behind Munich’s world-famous Glockenspiel.
The tour will take you to the Church of our Lady, a landmark of the capital city of Bavaria, and the Hofbrau House, one of the most famous breweries in Munich.
Learn more about “Oktoberfest” and the importance of the biggest beer festival in the world, along with the traditions surrounding it.
A scenic stroll through the beer gardens while our host talks to you about the unique beer and food culture Munich has to offer.
Price – Around $70
3. Become a Sake Savant and Shop at a Tokyo Bar
- Session Duration – 60 minutes
In this live tour, you get to hang out with a sake bar staff and sommelier and learn everything there is to know about Japan’s most famous rice wine.
Want to know how sake is made? What makes it smooth? This Amazon explorer tour will fill you in on the nitty-gritty. You will learn how you can age sake and how to choose the right sake for your taste.
During this virtual tour, you will get to experience the Izakaya pub scene in Japan and also shop from their local market. Your host will buy the product and ship it to you.
Price – $40
4. Learn to Cook Homemade Gnocchi like an Italian Grandmother
- Session Duration – 60 minutes
Italian recipes are all about choosing the right ingredients. In this Gnocchi-making class, a professional chef from Buenos Aires will tell you how you can choose the right ingredients and walk you through the painstaking process of making Gnocchi.
Learn new tips and tricks of Italian cooking that have been passed down by the generations and how Argentinian cuisine has been influenced by European culture.
Ask queries, and get information about the secret ingredients that give Gnocchi its distinct taste.
Price – $36
5. Virtually Shop and Learn About the History at Sensoji in Tokyo
- Session Duration – 40 minutes
This Amazon Explorer virtual tour will provide you with a personalized shopping and tour experience through the Sensoji Temple, located at the heart of Asakusa.
A cultural heritage site, the Sensoji Temple has 1400 years of mystery in and around it. During the tour, get to know about the meaning of each temple sign, check out the traditional wooden buildings, Japanese garden, and huge paper lanterns.
Learn how the people of Asakura have embraced modern culture while adhering to their traditional roots. Also, roam around with your host and shop at Nakamise street for traditional crafts such as fans, chopsticks, and pottery.
Price – Around $40
Our Verdict
During the Amazon Explorer review, we got to know about its features and its personal and group tours. Here’s how it fared.
Virtual tours can never be a replacement for travel. However, it is far better than a pre-recorded travelogue or vlog. During your virtual tour, you can interact and ask questions to your local guide, also you can instruct them to visit a certain location or landmark by pointing at your screen.
That’s not all, in selected tours your host can also take your shopping and purchase and ship a product right to you. How cool is that!
Practically, Amazon Explorer can come in handy when you want an honest opinion and information about a place that you want to physically visit. These local experts can give a brilliant insight into offbeat places and the best places to shop from.
You can also find classes and workshops by professional chefs, artists, and entertainers. Watch them weave their magic, interact with them, and pick up cool tips and tricks right from the source.
FAQs
Q. What are the points to consider while selecting a tour?
Every virtual tour session has a time limitation. So make a note of it, especially while selecting a class.Â
Some private sessions have in-session shopping capabilities while others don’t. With in-session shopping, you can select the product that you want to purchase and your host will buy and ship it to you.
You can either choose from private or group sessions. The private sessions are more exclusive and allow you to interact more with your guide.
Make sure you check the host rating before finalizing a tour.
Q, Can I enjoy Amazon Explorer virtual tours on smartphones or tablets?
Currently, Amazon Explorer virtual tours can only be accessed from the latest Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox browsers on your laptop or desktop. You can’t take a tour from your mobile device or gaming consoles.
Make sure you have high-speed internet connectivity with at least 5 Mbps. VPNs are not recommended as they can lead to connectivity issues.Â
You will also need a microphone and speaker to interact with your host. Check out their website for more details.
Q. Can I cancel my Amazon Explorer virtual tour?
Yes, you can cancel your Amazon Explorer virtual tour before 24 hours without incurring any penalty. You can also reschedule your private session, however, you can’t reschedule your group sessions. You have to cancel and rebook.
In case your host cancels your session due to any reason, you will get a full refund in your Amazon account.
Q. Can I Invite Friends to Join my Virtual Tour?
If you want your friends or family to join a virtual tour, you have to book a group session. However, your friends can feel free to gather around your PC/ laptop while you take your tour.
Q. Can I shop during an Amazon Explorer virtual session?
If your Amazon Explorer private session has the in-session shopping feature, you can ask your host to shop for items you like. Your host will make the purchases for you and ship your purchases after the session.
Make sure you check out their in-session shopping guidelines and the list of prohibited shopping items from their website.
Q. Can my Amazon Explorer virtual guide see me?
All virtual sessions feature 1-way video and 2-way audio. That means only you can see them but you can interact freely with your host. So your privacy isn’t compromised in any way.
Amazon Explorer can also be a great treat for a date, isn’t it?
