Group tours can be a fantastic way to travel. Most of the trip is organised for you and there is little you have to worry about. Group travel is especially good for first time solo travellers or those who are a little bit nervous. In this post, I’ve shared all you need to know about group tours including the pros and cons of a group trip.
I love group travel. My shortest group trip so far has been four days, and my longest two months. Some of my favourite travel experiences are thanks to travelling with a group. I’ve met people I consider my closest friends and I still speak to them on a daily basis.
Having said that, group travel does have its disadvantages. Now I’m a more experienced traveller, I’m finding I do less and less group tours. In fact, I now only really do them when visiting countries that would be difficult to do as a solo traveller (such as my two months in Africa).
Group tours are a great way to travel for many reasons (more on that below), but they’re not always right for everyone’s situation. When planning your trip, it can be hard to know whether to do it solo or travel as a group.
Having done over ten group tours as well travelling solo to over thirty countries, I feel I’m in a good position to write about the pros and cons of group travel, and help you decide on what’s best for your situation. I was also a tour leader in New Zealand, leading 17-day trips around the country.
I hope you find this guide on group tours useful.
What are group tours?
A group tour is when you sign-up for a multi-day trip in a country. Once you’ve signed up, the company handles most things. This includes accommodation, transport, the itinerary and sometimes even activities, meals and airport transfers. All you have to do is turn up and have a good time. Any extra activities done in your free time will be at an extra cost.
The size of group tours can vary from country to country, but most group trips tend to be between 12-18 people. You don’t need to be a solo traveller to join a tour, but most of those who join group tours are solo travellers.
It’s possible to build group tours around larger trips. For example, you may be spending a month in Australia. You could do the East Coast by yourself, then join a group tour to explore other areas.
Group tours are particularly good for exploring off the beaten path places with little infrastructure. Places I’d love to visit where I am considering a group tour include Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan.
Solo travellers on group tours
Most group tour companies will say that at least 60% of their customers are solo travellers (if not higher). In my experience, this is certainly true. Most of the group tours I’ve done (and been in charge of) have consisted of solo travellers. For example, on my group trip in Costa Rica every single customer was a solo traveller.
Of course, this isn’t always the case and can’t be guaranteed. If you’re unsure, most companies are willing to tell you about the demographics of those booked on to the tour to help you decide.
The pros of group tours
There are so many pros to group travel. Of course, solo travel is amazing as well. It’s an entirely individual choice. Sometimes it’s nice to do a bit of both, sometimes it’s nice to do one or the other.
Here are the advantages of group travel.
You meet like-minded people
One of the best things about travel is the people you meet. Turns out, group tours are an amazing way to easily meet like-minded travellers.
Most people have joined a group tour because they love travel and want to see more of the world. No matter what background you’re from or what you do for a living, everyone is there because they love to travel. It’s a wonderful experience. I’ve met some of my closest friends through group travel.
Meeting like-minded people is one reason why group travel is so good for solo travellers.
Everything is organised for you
In most cases, everything will be organised for you. This means you don’t have to worry about accommodation, transport or your itinerary. This can vary between operators, so it’s important to check what you need to plan yourself.
Even on the trip, guides will normally organise group meals or at least share some recommendations for food. Perhaps you’re just too busy to plan every single detail or maybe you just don’t want to, either way – there is minimal planning involved.
You don’t have to travel alone
Travelling to a unfamiliar country and exploring by yourself isn’t for everyone. But, sometimes we have no one to go with. This is why group tours are so fantastic for solo travellers.
Visitors get to explore a country they’ve always dreamed of visiting without the fear of being alone. While I’m all for solo travel, it isn’t for everyone and it’s fair enough if people want to join a group tour.
Experience local life
Most tour companies want you to meet locals and experience local living. This means you’ll have a local guide, stay in homestays or locally owned accommodation, get off the beaten track and try some delicious local food.
Of course, all of this is possible without being on a group tour, but when travelling alone it’s easy to stick to the backpacking route which is often less focussed on local living. In Africa, our G Adventures trip took us so far off the beaten path. We camped at a local village in Malawi and visited a local project aimed at helping women get into the workforce.
Companies such as Intrepid and G Adventures have a strong focus on sustainable travel and staying local is one of the best ways to do this.
Get off the beaten path
This is normally my main reason for choosing a group tour. I’m more than happy to travel solo, but I know I’ll more than likely stick to the major tourist route.
Group tours take you off the beaten track without you even having to think about things like how the hell you’re going to get there and where you’re going to stay.
You see so much
One of the best part about group travel is seeing a lot of the country in a short amount of time. It’s amazing how much you see on these tours. For example, on just a 14-day tour in New Zealand it’s possible to see many of the highlights, including Milford Sound, Hobbiton, Rotorua, Queenstown, Tekapo and Mount Cook.
The tour operators constantly run these tours and know what they’re doing. Group travel is a great way to fit a lot in when you have a short amount of time.
You have a local guide
One of the most reassuring parts of group tours is knowing you have someone there for you all the time. In my experience, guides are willing to go above and beyond to make sure you have the best experience.
They have extensive knowledge of the local area, so if something goes wrong, they will sort it. Having worked as a guide in New Zealand for five months, I know the main priority of a guide’s job is to make sure everyone has the time of their life.
Travel is more accessible
I truly believe group tours make travel more accessible. Perhaps you want to go to a country that’s a little less well-trodden, maybe you want to do a hiking trip where you need a guide, or maybe you just simply don’t want to be alone.
Whatever your reason for travelling with a group, it makes travel a lot more accessible.
The cons of group tours
I love group tours and travelling with a group. However, I’d be lying if I said it was all positive. Travelling with a group does have some disadvantages and isn’t for everone.
Here are a few cons of group travel.
The itinerary is fixed
Group tours have a set itinerary and this can’t be changed. You won’t have any flexibility to stay in a destination longer and skip somewhere else. The itinerary is the itinerary, and that’s that.
In my experience, companies are excellent at giving you ample free time at some stops on the itinerary. For example, you may have a free day in a city to do what you want.
However, it’s so important to research an itinerary and make sure you’re happy with it. Otherwise, you might find the trip isn’t what you want it to be.
There’s a set schedule
Group tours have an itinerary and to a certain element, also a fixed schedule. If your tour guide says you’re leaving at 6am, you’re leaving at 6am. It’s tough luck if you don’t want to. When I was leading tours in New Zealand, so many people would complain about the early mornings. Unfortunately, this is part of group travel.
It’s worth pointing out that group tours can be very tiring. You’re visiting a lot of places in a short amount of time which is great, but it can take its toll.
Group tours can be expensive
Group tours can often be more expensive than planning the trip yourself. Not only are you paying for everything on the itinerary, but you’re also paying for the service of having everything organised and a tour guide.
In my opinion, group tours are worth the money if you are nervous about travelling alone, or when you simply don’t want to plan it yourself. There are some fantastic deals out there. I’d suggest booking your group tours during sales such as Black Friday for the best deals.
You might not like everyone in the group
While group travel is great for making friends, you don’t actually get to choose who else is in your group. It’s possible that you might not like someone else in your group and unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about it.
In my experience, it’s rare that you won’t get on with anyone on the trip. Group tours tend to bring like-minded travellers together. However, I’d certainly be lying if I said I’d always loved everyone I met on a group tour.
You have to compromise
Part of the beauty of solo travel is being able to do what you want to do. When you’re with a group, this isn’t always the case.
Sometimes, a guide may give the group options which you need to decide on as a group. It might be something as trivial as where to eat for dinner, or what time to meet for an excursion. Sometimes you’ll have to compromise and go with what the group wants to do.
When to choose group travel
Choosing to travel with a group is an entirely personal thing. For some people, group travel will never be a consideration. For others, group travel is a way they can confidently enjoy exploring a new place without having to worry about going solo or planning every element.
For solo travellers or first time travellers, group tours are a great way to meet people. They’re also fantastic for relieving some of the stress and nerves that can come with solo travel. Everything is organised for you and you know if something goes wrong, it’s not your problem to sort.
Here are some reasons why you might choose to travel with a group:
- You don’t want to travel solo. Solo travel isn’t for everyone and that’s fine. But, what if you really want to visit somewhere and have no one to go with? This is where group tours are a great option. You get to see these amazing places with like-minded people.
- There’s little planning involved. Tour companies do most, if not all, of the planning. This is very helpful, especially in some countries which take a lot of preparation. If you’re too busy to plan a trip or simply want someone else to do it for you, group tours are a great option.
- You can travel with like-minded people. My favourite thing about all my group trips has been the people I’ve met. I don’t think I can name a single tour I’ve done where there’s not at least one person I still speak to. It’s a great way to meet people and you’re all there for the same reason – you love travel and want to explore unknown places.
- It’s not doable alone. Sometimes we travel with groups because we have no choice. For example, there are certain hikes in national parks where you’re legally required to have a guide. I chose to do my Guatemala hiking trip with a group as there is no way I could have co-ordinated climbing five volcanoes all around the country by myself. It also wouldn’t have been safe.
- It’s (sometimes) cheaper. This isn’t always the case, but sometimes you can find good deals. There are some amazing deals for countries such as India and Sri Lanka. I honestly think they are worth the money.
I’m personally somewhere in the middle when it comes to group travel. Group tours have a time and place for me. If it’s somewhere that would be difficult to get around alone (such as Mongolia) or a hiking trip somewhere, I’d be more than happy to join a group tour. On the other hand, I love solo travel and having the flexibility to explore destinations at my own pace.
What to look for in a group tour
Choosing a tour can be a daunting task. Once you’ve chosen your desired location, start researching what tours are available in said country so you can decide which is best for you.
Here are some things I look for when choosing a group tour as a solo traveller:
- How many people will be on the tour? My worst nightmare would be getting shoved on a coach with 100 people and carted around. That’s not what travel is to me. The tour information should say how many people will be on the tour. For small group tours, this is normally 12-18 people.
- Does the tour visit everywhere I want to go? Always check that the tour includes any place you *really* want to visit. I’ve looked at tours that skip things I want to do, so there’s no point booking them.
- How long is the tour? Make sure the tour fits into your time frame and is for a length of time you’re comfortable with. The shortest tour I’ve done is 4 days, and the longest is 2 months (!). I’m quite relaxed when it comes to spending time with the same people, but I know there are some who need their space after a week, so make sure it’s something you can manage if you’re considering a longer tour.
- Is it good value for money? The cost of tours really varies. Sometimes I find an amazing deal and it’s a no-brainer, other times I’m left stunned at how expensive it is. If you’re really torn on whether to travel with a group, money could be the deciding factor. This of course depends on why you’re booking the group trip – if you’re booking it because you don’t want to travel solo or plan it yourself, higher costs might not be an issue.
- Do they support the local economy? This is a big one for me and one I’m still very much educating myself about. It’s very important for me that a company puts my money back into the local economy. If this is something important to you, I’d suggest watching ‘The Last Tourist’ which looks at sustainable tourism. It was produced by G Adventures. It’s an important watch for any traveller in my opinion.
- Is the tour within my ability and does it have suitable activities? It’s *SO* important to fully read the itinerary and know what you’re getting yourself into. It sounds obvious but I’ve been on hiking tours where members of the group didn’t want to hike, and spent the whole week complaining they had to (despite choosing to join a hiking tour). Be sure to read the itinerary and make sure it’s what you want to do.
- Is there free time? One thing that sometimes frustrates me about group travel is how busy it is. This is great as it means you are seeing loads in a short amount of time, but I think it’s also important to have some time to do other things, or just relax. When looking for a tour now, I like to make sure there are some optional activities or time where I can choose what I want to do.
Which group tour companies to choose
There are an endless list of tour companies out there to choose from. It’s important to do your research and make sure the tour suits your needs and your values.
Here are some of my favourite tour companies I would recommend:
- G Adventures: I’ve travelled with G Adventures the most and highly recommend them. They always strive to give you the best local experience, which is what travel is about for me. The guides (or CEOs, as G calls them) on all my trips have been incredible. The company always hires locally and supports local projects and businesses, which you will learn more about on your chosen tour. G Adventures is very good when it comes to solo travellers.
- Intrepid: Intrepid is very similar to G Adventures but I’d argue they perhaps target a slightly older demographic. They do offer a few tours for under 30s, but it’s not the biggest selection compared to G Adventures. What I love about Intrepid is their commitment to sustainable tourism. They’re constantly looking at ways to better support local communities as well as protecting the places they’re visiting. If sustainable travel is important to you, this is one to look at. They’re the leader at this within the travel industry.
- Intro Travel: Intro is fantastic for younger travellers. They run tours all over the world including Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. This is who I worked for in New Zealand.
- Much Better Adventures: this company focus on active adventures (although you can find a selection of tours). Generally, they offer unique active experiences around the world. If you want to explore your adventurous side, this is likely the tour company for you. I’ve travelled with them twice – in Guatemala and Slovakia – and thoroughly enjoyed both trips. I can definitely see myself travelling with them again in the future. They hire local guides/organisations to give you the best local experience.
There are a few others to choose from which target a slightly younger audience and have a different style, but they offer affordable tours and if it suits you, go for it.
- Contiki: they offer group tours all around the world. I’ve never travelled with them but word is it’s a bit of a party vibe, but if this suits you then why not?
- TruTravels: Tru offer tours around Europe, Asia and Latin America. They’re owned by G Adventures and target a younger crowd. These trips focus a little less on the local experience, but they still have some great tour selections.
It’s always worth looking at other companies that may only exist in one or two countries. They generally can’t compete with the beasts I’ve mentioned above, so take some time to research the smaller companies too who might only operate in their own country.
Summary: are group tours good for solo travellers?
Group tours are a fantastic option for solo travellers. Group travel brings like-minded people together and allows them to explore parts of the world they may not see otherwise. Having said that, it’s not for everyone and it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into before booking.
Here are some of my other solo travel guides:
