On my 60th birthday, the phone rang. A friend was calling to wish me well.
“Happy birthday! Where are you celebrating — Disney World? That Star Wars park?”
I laughed. “You’ll never guess. I’m sitting on a picnic table in Amsterdam, waiting for a bus to pick me up and take me to a cheese-making farm.”
There was silence on the other end, followed by: “Wait… what?”
For someone who had never traveled outside the country before, it sounded unthinkable. But there I was, on my very first trip to Europe, thanks to a group tour.
The Pros of Group Tours
- Everything can be arranged for you. Flights, accommodations, and excursions are handled. No scrambling for train tickets or hotel bookings.
- Great for solo travelers. You can be as social or as independent as you want. There’s usually time built in for wandering on your own.
- Language isn’t a barrier. Guides speak your language and help with local interactions.
- Access to unique experiences. Many tours include excursions you might not plan yourself (like that cheese farm in the Netherlands).
- Safety net. If something goes wrong — delays, cancellations, or getting lost — you’ve got support.
The Cons of Group Tours
- You’re on a schedule. The bus leaves when it leaves. You may miss something you wanted to see because it doesn’t fit the itinerary.
- Example: In Lucerne, I wanted to see the big Christmas market. It didn’t open until the second day, but because of planned excursions we always got back too late — so I had to miss it.
- Other travelers. If you’re not a people person, being on a bus with a dozen (or several dozen) strangers might not sound appealing. Even if you are a people person, personalities can conflict after several long days on a bus or in a van.
- Less flexibility. Free time exists, but not as much as on a solo trip.
- Price. Tours can cost more than booking everything yourself. But that’s the tradeoff for convenience and peace of mind.
My Take
For me, starting with a group tour was the best possible decision. It got me out of the country, took away the intimidation factor, and gave me the confidence to explore more on my own later.
I used Gate1 Travel, suggested by my travel advisor. I’m not being paid to mention them, but my experience has been good — they offer a wide range of options, from short five-day trips to longer fifteen-day adventures, and both small and large group sizes. And, the tour managers have been excellent – funny, knowledgeable, accommodating.
Final Thought
If you’ve never traveled abroad and find it intimidating, consider a group tour. It may not give you total freedom, but it can give you something even more important: a first step into a bigger world.
Would you ever try a group tour — or do you prefer to blaze your own trail?
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