About — Tourio

Who We Are

Built by a guide, not a booking engine

Tourio was founded by Shah Shirmanesh, a travel professional with over twenty years of experience leading small-group expeditions across some of the world's most remarkable destinations. As co-founder of Adventure Iran and New Moon Resort in Thailand, Shah spent years developing a style of travel that prioritised depth over distance, genuine connection over ticking boxes — and that ethos remains at the heart of everything Tourio does today.

"I started guiding because I wanted to show people that the world is more extraordinary — and more welcoming — than they realised. That's still why I do it."

We are based in the UK and operate across Asia, East Africa, South America and the Caucasus. Tourio is a deliberately small company. Every tour is personally led by our team. We don't sub-contract to local operators and then step back. When you travel with Tourio, the person who planned your trip is the person standing next to you in the field.

Our groups are small — never more than ten to twelve people — because we believe that is the only way to travel responsibly, move flexibly and have experiences that genuinely feel personal. We are not trying to be the biggest tour operator in the world. We are trying to be the best one for the people who travel with us.

What We Stand For

How we approach travel

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Expert-led, always

Every Tourio tour is led by someone who knows the destination intimately — not a generalist following a script, but a specialist with years of on-the-ground experience. We believe the quality of your guide is the single biggest factor in the quality of your trip.

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Small by design

Small groups move better, eat better, get into places larger groups can't, and build the kind of easy camaraderie that turns fellow travellers into lasting friends. We have kept our groups small since day one and have no intention of changing that.

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Respectful travel

We stay in locally owned guesthouses wherever possible, eat where locals eat, and choose routes that benefit the communities we pass through. Travel should leave places better than we found them — or at the very least, no worse.

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Real conversations only

There is no booking engine on this website. When you enquire, our team responds personally — usually within 24 hours. We will talk you through every aspect of the trip, tailor it around your schedule, and answer every question honestly, including the ones that might put you off.

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Flexible by default

We don't include international flights because we believe you should be free to choose your own dates, airlines and connections. It also means we can work around you — not the other way around. Flexibility is not a premium add-on; it is how we operate.

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No filler, no padding

Every day in our itineraries earns its place. We plan our routes the way a knowledgeable friend would plan them — with honest opinions about what's worth the detour, what's overrated and where you should actually eat. You will not spend half a day at a tourist market you didn't ask for.