Traveling solo is awesome, but sometimes it would be better to have someone taking our pictures or a group to go for a night out with. For that reason, solo travel groups have been a traveler’s cup of tea. There are lots of tour operators tailoring group tours to different destinations around the world. Whether you want to munch on Michelin-rated dishes in Rome or wander around a desert in Morocco, these tour operators got your back. One question might arise – which tour operators are the best for solo travelers?
In this blog, we will compare several popular tour operators: Intrepid, GAdventures, Topdeck, Contiki, and JoinMyTrip. At the end of the passage, you’ll find out your best choice!
Destinations
Five tour operators mentioned offer group tours to various destinations across the globe. However, each operator has their own ‘specialty’ when it comes to destinations.
- Intrepid’s tours cover all five continents and over 100 countries. Their Asia tours are highly popular, especially the ones that explore Indonesia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.
- GAdventures also offers tours to all five continents. Their high-demand choices center in South America. We’re talking about tours to Mexico and Costa Rica.
- Topdeck specializes in tours to Europe. They have a wide range of tours to Europe, specifically top-rated destinations like Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
- Contiki highlights long tours to Europe and North America. It is the choice for travelers who want to discover the wonders of Canada and USA.
- JoinMyTrip features tours to around 7,000 destinations around the globe. The most popular destinations include Europe, especially out-of-radar destinations like Malta and Albania. The platform also offers tours to unique destinations, such as the Faroe Islands and Azerbaijan.
Trip Style
All tour operators ensure exciting, unforgettable, and wholesome experiences. Some travelers went home with a big smile on their face after a one-week-long relaxation in Bali, while others cheered for their party-filled excursion in Ibiza. Here are some sneak-peeks of each tour operator’s trip style:
- Intrepid: All-inclusive tours with well-organized itineraries packed with different destinations. Intrepid’s tours are about quantity – exploring as many destinations as possible in one time. Tours are generally family-friendly.
- GAdventures: Adventurous and bold tours, which include discovering local culture and going for heart-throbbing outdoor adventures. GAdventures tours are also generally long (2-3 weeks).
- Topdeck: Youthful, fresh, and thematic. Topdeck features several different travel styles, including ‘Get Social’ to find friends and ‘Delve Deep’ to uncover the beauty of certain destinations.
- Contiki: Neat and comprehensive tours. Contiki tours individually cover one destination, but they include in-depth discovery. For example, you can find a tour to Thailand that includes culinary, wildlife, culture, and nightlife experiences.
- JoinMyTrip: Authentic, unique, and tailor-made tours. JoinMyTrip has different kind of travel styles, ranging from beach vacations to cultural journeys. You can also find out-of-the-box activities like interacting with local tribes and going on cross-country road trip.
Group Size and Profile
Each tour operator has different market segment and group size. Which tour operators fit you the most? – you can choose the best one based on your age, activity level, and preferences.
- Intrepid: Group tours for travelers age 15-70 years old. Intrepid has a wide range of tours with diverse physical requirements and itineraries. The group fits around 12-16 people. In some selected tours, Intrepid welcomes more than 24 travelers.
- GAdventures: Open for travelers with the minimum age of 18. GAdventures has several types of tours, including the Thirtysomethings tour that welcome travelers age 18-39. It also features family tours. GAdventures’ groups usually fit 10-15 people.
- Topdeck: The group tours board travelers age 18-39 years old. Additionally, the groups are large with approximately 28-50 people.
- Contiki: Open for travelers age 18-35 years old. The groups fit around 12-50 people based on the destination. Tours to Europe are usually more packed, while Asia tours have less travelers.
- JoinMyTrip: The tours welcome travelers age 18-35 years old from all over the world, highlighting diversity and inclusivity. JoinMyTrip is about small group travel, in which the group can include only 3-8 people. Large groups don’t even fit 20 travelers, so small and intimate they are!
Tour Duration
You can also choose which tour operators work best for your next vacation based on the duration. Getting long, well-deserved day-offs are great, but that’s not always the case. Some of these tour operators have short tours for the busy bees.
- Intrepid: Long-haul tours with in-depth exploration are Intrepid’s specialty. The group tours are designed for two or three weeks (14-21 days).
- GAdventures: The group tours usually last for 8-14 days. However, you can find longer tours that last for 30 days or a month.
- Topdeck: The group tours are generally not too long, which mostly last for 8-14 days. When traveling with Topdeck, longer period of travel means more countries to visit.
- Contiki: The group tours last for 7-14 days in average. There are longer tours that stretch to 18 days.
- JoinMyTrip: Diverse choice of tour duration, from a 3-day weekend trip to 21-day remote working vacation. JoinMyTrip’s tours generally last for 7-14 days.
Summary – Which Tour Operators to Choose?
| Criteria / Tour Operators | Intrepid | GAdventures | Topdeck | Contiki | JoinMyTrip |
| Destinations | Worldwide (Best: Asia) | Worldwide (Best: South America) | Worldwide (Best: Europe) | Worldwide (Best: North America) | Worldwide (Best: Europe & Hidden Gems) |
| Trip Style | Family and long-haul tours | Outdoor & cultural adventures | Social and thematic tours | In-depth discoveries | Thematic and unique experiences |
| Group Size | 12-24 people | 10-15 people | 28-50 people | 12-50 people | 3-18 people |
| Age | 15-70 | 18 and older | 18-39 | 18-35 | 18-39 |
| Duration | 14-21 days | 8-30 days | 8-14 days | 8-18 days | 3-21 days |
So, have you decided which tour operators to choose for your next holiday?
If you are looking for amazing itineraries, like-minded travel buddies, safe experiences, and flexibility, look no further than JoinMyTrip. The intimately-sized groups, usually fit 3-8 people, are perfect for you who want to make friends while straying away from the hassle. The tours are crafted by experienced travelers who have went through training and scored their bucket lists. Also, good news for solo travelers – most of our travelers went solo and came back with lifelong friendships.