Adventure Group Travel: Assessment from a Solo Traveller

Brendan is a travel writer and photographer from Alberta, Canada.  You can read about his travels at Brendan's Adventures or check him out on Facebook.

I have always seen myself as a solo traveller. Not because I dislike people, but because I like to travel on my own accord. I like having that freedom to decide if I want to stay somewhere a little bit longer, or get out of a town a little bit quicker. However, there are quite a few benefits to group travel that even the hardiest of solo travellers can't deny.

Friends
Obviously the greatest benefit gained from group travel is the friendships that you earn along the way.  Yes, while backpacking solo you will meet a number of people.  However, the truth is that the majority of those relationships remain very shallow as you only spend very small amounts of time together. 

But in group travel you will go through a number of bonding experiences with your co-passengers that can bring you together. Travelling alone can be amazing, but having someone to share the stories of adventure is invaluable.

Expertise
In group travel you'll always have someone around to show you the best places to eat, the best places to take photographs and the best activities and excursions to do. That expertise is especially important to people who have just short amounts of time to travel. These people don't want to be wasting their time trying to figure things out, they want to be out there exploring the world. 

Having a tour leader is a huge bonus simply because it gives you a resource to ask questions and receive local information.  If you would rather not use that resource and seek out things on your own that's fine too.

Structure
A little structure isn't necessarily a bad thing. Yes it is nice to be able to change up your plans, but the truth is that travel company itineraries are set up to allow you to maximize your time while travelling. Staying a couple of extra days in a certain place might be great, but if you're on a short vacation period it will mean missing out on something else. Having a structured plan set out will make sure that you get the most out of your vacation.

Vacation
Backpacking solo can be hard work. You'll constantly find yourself seeking out information about when buses leave, booking hotels, and stressing over every day travel duties. On a group tour the little things are taken care of for you, so you won't have to waste your time going back and forth to the bus terminal to book tickets for your next couple days travelling. The lack of stress can be a very good thing, especially while travelling a country where you're not familiar with the language, culture, or simply the way things work.

Cost
It might seem on the surface that the costs of group travel are quite high but the truth is that if you look at a company like Gecko's Adventures the price you pay for a tour and what you would pay on the ground is actually quite cheap. Plus, since you are sharing things like transport among a group the costs are essentially shared. Also, tour companies have deals with hotels, bus companies and local tour companies that allow you to get better deals than you would get on your own. There are many adventure tours offered that would cost much much more if done solo than on the tour.

Planning
A group tour can be a great way to get an idea of a certain region to allow you to pick favourite spots and plan a return for a longer period of time. You might only spend a couple days in a certain location but decide that there is more in the region that you want to explore. By doing a group tour you can allow yourself to do some "travel window shopping" of sorts. Doesn't it always seem that we are already planning our next trip while on the current one?

What do you think are some benefits of group travel? Have you ever travelled as part of a group? Leave a comment below then head to Twitter and Facebook to share it with the rest of the Gecko's community.

If you're interested in doing some group travel, why not check out our brochures or browse our destinations. Then sign up for the monthly eNews to get offers, giveaways, inspirational travel stories and trip updates.

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