My husband and I are looking to travel in Europe, but would prefer traveling with a small group (no more than 20) rather than doing it on our own. If you've used a tour company that you've either liked or not, I'd love to hear suggestions.
Small Tour Groups
Message Submitted by Lindaann on Mon, 11/28/2016 - 15:07
Some small-group tours
Like you, I enjoy traveling with smaller groups. These are the companies I've traveled with:
• Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) www.oattravel.com- maximum is 16. I like that in addition to a base trip of 14 days, you can add a pre-trip as well as a post-trip to extend the experience. They often add optionals to their trips which run about $90 to $120. each.
• Eldertreks (Canadian) www.eldertreks.com They also have a limit of 16, and most trips I've been with them go with a few less. They might seem a little expensive, but everything is included (all meals, tipping, bottled water,etc) except for the tip to the main guide.
• Passport Travel www.passporttraveltours,com This is a small family-run company based in the Chicago area. They have some unusual itineraries, a bit on the pricey side but often worth it for the small group (I've been in a group as small as 6 people) and some unique itineraries.
Small Group Tours
My husband and I will not consider large group travel. We concur with Pinky's suggestion of Overseas Adventure Travel, www.oattravel.com, with their maximum of 16 people. Their itineraries focus on understanding the region visited with visits to both traditional sites and off the beaten path experiences. We've taken 13 trips with them and only experienced one dud. Another company we've used is Alexander+Roberts, www.alexanderroberts.com, which also caters to groups of 16. We were impressed with their itinerary and service to China. If your are a AAA member, you might get extra perks. A third company that some ITN folks have used is Odysseys Unlimited, www.odysseys-unlimited.com. While we receive and study their catalogs, we've never booked with them. Enjoy your travels!