Thinking of booking a small group tour but not sure if it is for you?
We all enjoy different styles of travel, and we all want different things out of our holiday, and often our budget dictates a lot of the decisions when choosing how to travel.
Some people like to work off a schedule, and want to know exactly what they will be doing for the duration of their trip.
While some people like a more laid back style of traveling, having a rough guideline of where they will go and what they will see, with the ability and flexibility to change their plans along the way.
Everyone likes to get a good deal while on holiday, but everyone’s budget will be different. But just because your budget is a little tight, shouldn’t mean your holiday has to suffer for it.
So where do small group tours fit into all of this?
Small group tours can be great! And in this day in age we are very lucky because they have come a long way in the last few years. There is often a stigma around group tours, and a lot of common misconceptions when it comes to tours. I can admit I was guilty of this only a few years ago. However, if you do your research, and you have a good idea of what you want out of your holiday, there is a great small group tour out there for you.
With that in mind, let’s go through a few of these misconceptions and see if we can help you figure out if, or what, group tours are suited to your personal travel style.
1. Small group tours are for retirees…
Not at all! Years ago this may have been true but with the increase of solo travelers, people taking gap years from college to travel, and just more people wanting to travel the world in general because of cheaper flights and more exposure to travel ideas on social media. Because of this increase in the variety of travelers, tour companies have developed tours to cater for everyone!
2. Tours only visit the main attractions…
While this still may be true for larger tours, there are many small group tours that also take you off the beaten track.
Here at Wild N Happy Adventures our maximum tour size is 14 people and therefore we use smaller buses which allow us to go places the larger coaches can’t go. More importantly, by being small it help us adhere to our strong responsible travel principles.
While we do visit the main attractions (I mean they are the main attractions for a reason), we also like to give people the chance to experience the real, rugged and wild Ireland.
3. Will I be shuttled around like sheep?
Again on larger tours, this can be true. On large group tours there is a strict amount of time scheduled for each stop, and most of this time is taken up with unloading and reloading the bus. You get a chance to take a quick picture, and you are off to the next stop. But small group tours offer more flexibility as you get the chance to stay in places a little longer and go exploring the area a little more. Which is great, because places need to be experienced, not just viewed through a window.
4. Am I gonna be stuck on the bus all day?
The answer is no. On our small group tours of Ireland, Scotland and Morocco we stop off to have a walk on the beach, or go exploring and taking in the scenery. You also have the opportunity in some of our tours to include a kayaking guided tour, or you have the option to go coasteering, rock climbing or cycling. So whether you are on a one day tour or a 14 day tour, and no matter what your fitness level, rest assured, you will not be stuck in the bus on our small group tour experiences.
5. Wouldn’t it just be cheaper to do it myself?
This is a hard one to answer. Initially when booking your holiday, it may seem cheaper, but a lot of the time there can be hidden costs and surprises. However, on our small group tours, this happens less frequently because you have pretty much all your costs paid for before you arrive.
For example, if you were planning on renting a car, and doing the trip yourself you have to keep in mind, the car rental cost, insurance, petrol/diesel, toll fees and parking. It is hard to plan exactly what all of this will cost before you get there.
Also when booking a tour you are paying for the guide services, local knowledge (which you would miss out on if you were on your own) and all the bookings and prep are done for you.
Hopefully, this overview has helped you in some way, but if you are still on the fence, and not sure if a small group tour experience is best for you, then please feel free to contact one of our many dedicated tour experts. They are full of free knowledge, always ready to answer any questions you might have and will offer you the best advice in achieving your dream holiday.