Tom Armstrong
Experience Travel Group
ABTA, ATOL, and B Cert Logos
Experience Travel Group Start Planning
Call Explore
Experience Travel Group
Explore 020 7924 7133 Start Planning
Tom Armstrong
ABTA, ATOL, and B Cert Logos

Tom Armstrong

Picture taken doing the Manaslu Circuit, Nepal

Tom Armstrong

Co-Founder

Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born - Albert Einstein

Tom's Biog

Tom is one of our co-founders. Originally from London, he’s spent much of his adult life on the road, predominantly in Asia.

Having studied Drama at Bristol University, it seemed a future in the arts and media beckoned. However, despite stints in the camera departments of feature films and a prolonged period working for Channel 4 News (long before their acrimonious stand-off with the Sri Lankan government), the lure and adventure of travel proved too strong to resist.

Tom first fell in love with Sri Lanka in 1999 while on a voluntary teaching placement in rural Anamaduwa, a place he now calls home. An expert on all things Sri Lankan, Tom speaks fluent Sinhala and likes nothing more than exploring Sri Lanka by motorbike – a mode of transport he’s favoured to visit every district in the country. He is also part owner of The Mudhouse, a unique eco-lodge in rural Sri Lanka. 

His travel career started as an adventure tour leader for Explore Worldwide, taking him to Libya, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Spain, Madeira and Oman. During a fortnight break between tours in 2003, Tom went for a pint in London with his old school friend, Sam Clark, and discovering they had the same ideas for creating authentic, in-depth experiences, Experience Travel Group was born. They both quit their jobs and started out on their own, moving to Sri Lanka - the first of the company's destinations.  

Having performed a vast range of functions within the company over the years, Tom now concentrates on what he has always been best at; as ‘ETG-er at Large’ he researches and develops our product in our destinations and maintains relationships between the London office and our in-country partners. In his 'spare' time he DJs and commercially farms lettuce...

Visit my blog

Favourite Place

Nine Skies, Demodara

A restored bungalow sitting on a working tea plantation providing an all-inclusive stay with personalised service and wonderful views.

Most Memorable

Hot Air Ballooning, Dambulla

Gliding over Sigiriya at dawn is a sight that will never leave me. Truly magical.

Signature Itinerary

Hanoi to Luang Prabang Overland

Forget the flights - overlanding through remote Laos and Vietnam is the way to go...

Top Tip

A little lime goes a long way...

Tom's Travel Photos

Photos of Tom

~
Not sure what you’re looking for?
Let us inspire you
~

Every ETG journey is unique. Tell us your loves, your hates, your holiday ambitions, your hopes and fears, and we’ll share a suitcase so full of inspired holiday ideas you’ll need to sit on it to shut it tight.

Your next adventure starts with a conversation...

Start Planning

Call us 020 7924 7133

Call us 1-888-577-8452

ETG - immersive holidays that give back, since 2004.
Don’t just see Asia - feel Asia.
Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates and travel inspiration...

How it works
  • Get in touch
  • Booking with confidence
  • How much does it cost?
  • Financial protection
  • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
  • Working with in-country partners
  • My Online Account
  • Come and see us
  • Request a Brochure
About Us
  • Why choose ETG?
  • Our Story
  • Meet the Team
  • Reviews
  • Our Promise
  • In the Press
  • Our Offices
  • Jobs
Information
  • Our Rating System
  • Exclusive Signature Experiences
  • Your Protection
  • Travel Insurance
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Package Travel Regulations
  • Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) Travel Advice
Sustainability
  • Travel Better
  • Give Back Experiences
  • Partnerships
  • Carbon Roadmap
  • B Corp Certified
  • Our Counter-Carbon Pledge
Get Social

facebook.com/experiencetravel twitter.com/ExpTrav instagram.com/experiencetravelgroup

  • Visit us on Facebook
  • View @ExpTrav Twitter Feed
  • Visit our Travel Blog
  • Follow our Instagram page
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Book Club

© Experience Travel Group Ltd
Registered in England, Company No. 5071391 | ABTA Member | 9324 ATOL Protected
Site by Livingstone Creative

Website Terms of Use | Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy

  • Sri Lanka
  • India
  • Maldives
  • Nepal
  • Bhutan
  • Oman
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Indonesia
  • Borneo
  • Multi-country

Explore
  • Use our Smart Search
Get in Touch
Immersive Holidays
  • Bespoke Holidays with ETG
  • Immersive Family Holidays
  • Immersive Honeymoons
  • Holidays by month
  • Family Holidays by Month
  • Download Country Guides
Guide to South Asia
Your key to Asia
Insider guides designed
for curious travellers
Country Guides
Inspiration
  • Country Guides
  • Weather & when to go
  • ETG NEWSLETTER: INBOX INSPIRATION
  • Travel gems in the ETG blog
  • Explore Hotels
  • Experiences that give back
Jungle River Safari in South Asia
"The possible's slow fuse is
lit by the imagination"
Inspire Me
About Us
  • Our Story
  • Why Choose ETG?
  • The Important Bits
  • Meet the Team
  • Sustainability
  • Come and see us
  • Make an Enquiry
Get the Newsletter
  • Destinations
    • Bhutan
    • Borneo
    • Cambodia
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Laos
    • The Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Oman
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • Vietnam
    • Multi-country
  • Weather & When to go
    • Sri Lanka
    • The Maldives
    • Vietnam
    • Cambodia
    • Laos
    • India
    • Bhutan
    • Thailand
    • Myanmar
    • Borneo
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • Oman
  • About us
    • Why choose ETG?
    • Our Story
    • Meet the Team
    • Reviews
    • In the Press
    • Our Offices
    • Our Brochure
    • Travel Blog
    • Newsletter Signup
  • How it works
    • Get in touch
    • Booking with confidence
    • How much does it cost?
    • Financial protection
    • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
    • Working with in-country partners
    • My Booking
    • Come and see us
  • Immersive Holidays
    • Immersive Family Holidays
    • Immersive Honeymoons
    • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Holidays by month
    • Family Holidays by Month
    • Download Free Country Guides
  • Sustainability
    • Travel Better
    • Give Back Experiences
    • Partnerships
    • B Corp Certified
  • Come and see us
  • My Online Account
  • Brochure
  • Travel Blog