You are currently viewing Best Group Travel Companies for Single Travellers You Will Love

Best Group Travel Companies for Single Travellers You Will Love

Do you wish you could go on intrepid adventures all over the world but find that being a single traveller holds you back?

I was in the same boat several years back until I discovered some of the best group travel companies for single travellers like G Adventures and Intrepid travel.

Before that, I worried about feeling lonely without a travel friend by my side and I was nervous about safety. But I didn’t fancy being stuck on a bus tour with 30 other tourists either.

When I discovered these small group travel companies perfect for solo travellers who enjoy more adventurous travel like myself, it changed everything.

I’ve now travelled to over 35 countries and many of them, with a group tour and I’ve become a huge fan of travelling with small group adventure travel companies.

As a singleton, it’s nice to travel with company on a small group tour. I feel safer and usually make friends for life!

Solo travel companies also take the hard work off your hands meaning you get to see more in less time and with a lot less planning involved. You can just sit back and enjoy your adventure with new friends.

After taking something like 20 adventure tours, people often ask me which companies I recommend for group travel for singles.

There’s not always a straightforward answer as different tour companies cater for different styles of travel and budgets. But to help you decide which group tour company is best for you, I’ve compared them for you.

group travel for singles trekking the lares trail

A Quick Overview of the best group tour company for single travellers:

G Adventures and Intrepid Travel are best for;

  • Small group, grass route adventures
  • Sailing trips
  • Trips for single parents
  • Anyone over 25 (but 18-39 trips also offered)

G Adventures is my favourite but Intrepid Travel is awesome too!

Dragoman is best for;

  • Longer participation-based overlanding trips
  • If you like camping
  • More independent travellers (less assistance from tour leaders)

Absolute Africa, Acacia Africa and Intrepid Travel are best for;

  • Safari overlanding trips in Africa

Topdeck and Contiki are best for;

  • Party animals
  • Urban routes in Europe
  • Those who don’t mind very fast-paced bus trips

Group Travel Companies for Single Travellers compared…

Where
you stay
PriceHow many peopleGuidesMy opinion
G AdventuresVaries, guesthouses/ hotels$-$$$ depending on comfort levelMax 15Great5*
IntrepidVaries, guesthouses/
hotels
$-$$$ depending on comfort levelMax 15Great5*
DragomanMostly camping$15-20OK3*
Acacia Africacamping or hotels$-$$15-20Great4*
Absolute Africacamping or hotels$-$$15-20Great4*
ContikiHostels/ budget hotels$-$$<30Ok2*
TopdeckHostels/ budget hotels$<30Ok2*

We’re about go into a lot more detail about each type of group travel tour company so keep reading to learn more about the best group travel companies for single travellers

Why Take a Group Tour For Single Travellers?

  • Group Tours are a brilliant way to meet like-minded people

I have made lifelong friends through some of my group adventure trips. It’s rare I haven’t got on with the groups I’ve travelled with, probably because these sorts of trips attract a certain type of people. People like me who crave adventure and have a get-up-and-go attitude to life. We don’t let being single stop us from travelling.

  • You might meet someone special…

Ok, this is yet to happen for me but I do know people who met their significant others on a group tour as a single traveller. After all, you both love adventures and that’s a great start…

  • It’s really easy

We’re all busy people holding down jobs, hobbies and social lives. Planning a trip can be great fun but it can also be very time-consuming. And you want to come back from your trip refreshed right? Not more stressed than when you left for it!

Group adventure tours take the stress out of travel allowing you to simply book it, then relax until your adventure begins. Even then, travel is easier when you know your accommodation and travel arrangements are taken care of throughout.

  • You get to visit places you might not see otherwise

Group adventure tours take solo travellers to places they may never reach by themselves, remote and off the beaten track. You will get to understand the local culture much better, support local charitable organisations and may even get to experience life living with the locals on a homestay.

  • Group travel help single travellers stay safe

Travelling as a group means that single travellers are safer as they have people to accompany them to dinner and watch their backs in crowds. Also, the tour leaders know the places they visit like the back of their hands and will make sure you know where is safe to go.

Read more | If you’re an introvert and not sure if group travel is for you, read this introverts guide to group travel.

My Own Group Tour Story

picture of my group adventure tour group in peru on a boat - there are a10 of us sitting on the boat roof smiling at the camera

I took my first adventure group tour in 2003. I was just 17 and it was part of a school expedition with World Challenge. We financed it without help from our parents, planned the trip ourselves and carried out various community projects as well as a week-long trek through the jungle. The skills I learnt as a young teenager; leadership, planning, team-work and money management, essentially got me my ticket to med school.

It planted the seed for future group trips but it was another 10 years before my next big trip.

My next group trip came about as I sadly broke with my ex-boyfriend whom I had planned a 4 month trip to South East Asia with. He encouraged me to go anyway and so I decided a group tour would be the best way to give single travel a whirl and ease me into solo travel gently.

I came back from that trip a different woman. Before I left I was plagued by doubt about what I wanted from life, was I making the right decisions?

4 months, 4 group tours and 3 weeks of independent travel later, I returned home confident and with a new purpose.

the perfect example of group travel for singles - 3 girls on a beachin Brazil smiling at the camera

Not only was I more confident in general but this trip had filled me with confidence that travel wasn’t out of bounds for singletons. I loved my group travel experiences – I’ve taken about 20 in total now – but I also realised solo travel by myself was fine too. Now I travel 50% solo 50% with a group.

These trips had reignited my passion for travel and I knew it would be an important part of my life from then on. Though little did I know that a few years later I would be running a successful travel blog! Life has a funny way of taking twists and turns you don’t expect at times.

group travel for singles - getting a tour of a masai village

So Which Is The Best Group Travel Company For Singles?

There is a huge variety in the type and style of group travel singles can take depending on their travel goals, budget and how many people they want to travel alongside.

My personal favourite group travel company for singles is G Adventures. But we’ll come back to that later. It may or may not be right for you personally.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Group Travel Company

  • Would you prefer to travel in a smaller group or are you happy with a larger group size?
  • Do you mind how old the other travellers are? Would you prefer to travel with party animals, young professionals or a mix of ages?
  • Does it bother you if the leader is not a local?
  • Do you want to chip in and help out with day-to-day tasks or would you prefer to take it easy on holiday?
  • What is an acceptable standard of accommodation for you? Tents, Dorms, guesthouses, homestays or smart hotels?
  • How active do you want to be? Are you looking for adventure, culture or a bit of both?
  • What is your budget?
  • How much free time do you want?
Group tour for singles 2 travellers with their arms in the air

Armed with the answers to these questions, you are ready to decide; which is the best adventure travel company for you?!

We can divide tours roughly into three main groups; participation over-landing trips, bus tours and smaller group adventure tours. Let’s take a look at them individually.

Small Group Tours for Single Travellers

These are my favourite type of group travel for singles and so I thought I’d begin with talking about small group tours.

group of 4 adults chatting to depict the best solo tarvel companies

These trips usually have between 10 to 15 travellers and usually involves a mix of private and local transport. The marine-based trips involve sailing or cruising instead.

The age of the traveller usually depends on the location and price of the trip. Most small group adventure tour companies offer different tiers of trips. The more pricey trips have more comfortable accommodation and attract older travellers.

A picture from a group tour in peru visiting lake titicaca - 10 of us are dressed up in bright coloured outfits including frilly fully length skirts and jackets made of felt. we are posing on an island in a river made of straw!

If you’re like me, a 30-something professional, I’d aim for the mid-price range tours. The accommodation is comfortable if not luxurious. The ages are variable but usually, most people are in their 20’s to 40’s.

There are exceptions to this rule and when I was travelling in South America, I was happier to book the more budget tours. South America is, in general, a pricier place to travel than let’s say South East Asia. It attracts slightly older, more experienced travellers so it’s safe to assume you won’t be subject to a ‘party bus!’

If however, you are travelling to Thailand or India, I would definitely consider upgrading unless, of course, a party bus is what you fancy!

Not every person who travels on a group adventure tour will be single. Usually, each tour has one or two couples. But you certainly won’t be the only singleton!

My Personal Favourite Small Group Tour Companies

a picture form a group vacation in the galapagos - there is a large group of people standing on black lava formations smiling at the camera

My favourite small adventure group tour companies are G Adventures and Intrepid Travel. Both favour more adventurous locations and off-beat experiences you might not experience without being on a group tour.

Both employ only local tour guides. This is great because they have brilliant knowledge about the places you are visiting.

They are also both conscientious ethical companies who do a lot of grassroots work within the communities they visit.

I have travelled with G Adventures 9 times and Intrepid twice. Based on my personal experience, I have written this review article; G Adventures Vs Intrepid Travel to help you decide between them. It also mentions in more in detail the projects they are involved with.

But if you want to skip that article and just want to know which is best, then pretty much it comes down to G Adventures having a fairer cancellation policy but Intrepid having a great loyalty programme if you plan to travel with them a lot. G Adventures is also fractionally cheaper.

Check out their trips currently on sale here…

Pros and Cons of Small adventure travel companies

Pros; Smaller groups, emphasis on sustainable travel, local knowledgable guides, off-beat adventurous activities and homestays often included, flexible itineraries.

This is a picture of the family I stayed with on a homestay during a group adventure tour with G adventures. Its a simple house with pink walls and the mother is sitting on a concrete floor teaching her son. there is a simple pot cooker on the floor next to them.

Cons; These are a slightly more expensive style of group travel for singles – though still very affordable. In my mind, it is worth paying the little extra so you don’t feel like you’re a big group being herded around on a trip with the likes of Contiki or Topdeck!!

Small Group Trips I have taken and can recommend

picture of 2 girls on a group tour on a boat made of straw being propelled by the tour leader with an oare

Overlanding Group Travel for Singles

picture of an overlanding truck for a group tour in bolivia altiplano. the mountains in the background look purple and the land is very barren

Overlanding is a completely different style of group travel and in general, the trips are a little cheaper and definitely NOT luxurious!

Overlanding trips involve group participation so if you’re not happy to chip in with the cooking and washing up, it’s not for you.

However, if you don’t mind getting involved and doing your bit, these trips can be great fun and really rewarding.

On an overland group tour, you will usually be travelling in a converted truck and camping at night. Some trips will involve a mixture of camping and budget hotels but you’re unlikely to stay anywhere with 5 stars!

They are an adventurous style of travel and a brilliant way of seeing a lot in a small time with a smallish budget. They are especially suited for more remote and rugged locations for example taking a safari in Africa or road tripping through South America.

My personal favourite overlanding tour companies for singles

picture of a group campfire at night on a camping overlanding group tour

I’ve travelled with three different overlanding tour companies and have had good experiences with all of them.

Dragoman is one of the most well-known overlanding companies with trips in Central Asia, North and South America and Africa. They travel with huge converted trucks painted in bright orange. One of the things I loved most about our truck was the rooftop seats that we were able to use in certain terrains. So much fun.

The trip I took with Dragoman used a 50:50 mix of budget hotels and camping which meant that half of our meals were also around a campfire, cooked by ourselves.

I really enjoyed my trip with Dragoman but the one downside as far as I could see is that their tour leaders are not locals and so couldn’t offer much additional insight or advice. It felt a lot more like independent travel but with our own personal bus drivers!

I also travelled with two companies in East Africa, Absolute Africa and Intrepid Travel. Yes, that’s right, Intrepid do some over landing style trips too! The trip I took with Intrepid had local guides which I prefer as they are so informative. Absolute Africa was also a brilliant experience and one that I can’t fault.

picture from a group travel for singles  with intrepid travel in africa on overlanding trip group of around 15 people on safari psoing on the savannah

Acacia Adventure tours are another popular choice for overland tours but as of yet, I cannot comment on them. Maybe one day…

Pros and cons of overlanding group tours

Pros; Affordable, adventurous, a great way to travel across most remote locations, the perfect way of experiencing safari without exorbitant safari lodge costs.

Cons; larger group sizes, some companies don’t use local guides

Overlanding trips Ive taken and can recommend

group travel is for singles perfect for those wanting to do a safari depicted by this picture of a baby elephant crossing the road

Bus Tour Style Group Travel for Singles

Bus Tour Travel companies tend to be livelier and attract a younger crowd and generally visit predominantly urban locatiobs. You may be travelling with up to 30 other people and will likely stay in dormitories along the way. The guides are not usually locals. The trips are usually quite fast-paced.

Bus Tour Companies I’ve Personally travelled with

picture of a bus from a group bus tour

I’ve taken a couple of these trips and they were both very different. Topdeck was my least favourite tour, probably as I felt I was a few years older than most of the group. There was a little too much focus on drinking and not enough on culture for my personal travel tastes but that said, it may suit a younger traveller.

My trip with Way Outback was quite different with a slightly broader range of ages. It may have helped that by travelling through the outback, there weren’t so many opportunities for nights out so the focus was definitely on the incredible scenery.

group travel for singles at the red centre uluru

Contiki are another popular company for this style of travel but I do not have personal experience with them. However, I’ve heard they are very similar to Topdeck.

Pros and Cons of taking a bus tour

Pros; Cheaper than small group travel, Often lively tours great for younger travellers and party animals

Cons; Sometimes more of a focus on partying than culture, large group sizes, less flexibility

Bus Tours I’ve taken

Group Travel for Single Parents

group travel for single parents children overlooking a cliff

I’ve always thought that when I become a parent one day, I want to travel with my child and show them life exists beyond the little that they know. I believe it teaches children tolerance, humility and broadens their minds.

But travelling with children isn’t always easy, especially the adventurous sort of travel that I personally love. And if you’re a single parent, I’d imagine it would be even harder.

Fortunately, G Adventures and Intrepid Travel have stepped in with a solution.

They are now offering small group adventure tours like the ones we discussed above but for single-parent families. Children get to make friends and learn about the world whilst the parents get to enjoy some adult conversations with the other parents on the tour.

G Adventures Family Tours

Intrepid Family Tour

Group Travel FAQs

So who wins? Which is the best group travel group for singles?

If you are in your mid 20’s or older with a reasonable budget behind you, then I wouldn’t usually recommend a bus tour. My personal preference would be a small group tour with G Adventures or Intrepid Travel (the former being my favourite.)

If you’re on a tight budget or taking a safari or travelling somewhere really remote, then an overland trip may be a good option. Again Intrepid was my favourite overland tour.


  • For booking hotels, I use booking.com and love the in-depth search options. If I’m looking for self-catered accommodation, I use Airbnb. Get a lovely discount HERE
  • For flights, I love Skyscanner. I always find the best deals there and the ‘search everywhere’ option is great for inspiration.
  • For day trips, my preference is to use Get Your Guide. If you’re looking for longer trips or group tours then my absolute fave company is G Adventures. Other companies I recommend are Intrepid Travel, Dragoman and Tour Radar
  • For renting cars, I use Europcar – hassle-free! 
  • And for insurance – please don’t travel without it – try Nomads!

I’d love to hear about your own experiences of group travel? Are there any group tours you recommend for single travellers? Please feel free to comment below!

As always, I appreciate any social shares with the pins and buttons below to help me get the word out.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.