Traveling: Alone or with a Group?

I have been fortunate enough to have the experience of travelling in all sorts of manners, but what I found the most striking is the difference between traveling with a group versus travelling alone or with just one other person. There are pros and cons to each, but I would encourage, if you can, experiencing both for yourself to see which you prefer.

Traveling with a large tour group can be great; you generally won’t have to put in the work yourself to plan and execute the trip. You’ll know exactly where to be at every moment of the day, and will be sure to see the top spots at every given location. Often times, large tour groups will come with an accompanying guide, which is extremely helpful if you’re in a foreign country, especially one that speaks a foreign language. The tour group will generally arrange guided tours by a local at different attractions in the city/country you’re in. This is the best way to get information and learn about the culture from the most direct source.

A con that goes along with group travel is not being able to pick and choose what you do or don’t want to do. Since you aren’t doing any of the planning of the trip, you don’t particularly get a say in the itinerary. Often times on group tours, there will be space in the schedule for free time, but that can be limited in both time and location. Groups will go to the most “must-see” places, but can miss out on the spontaneity of discovering something unique or more unknown. Another con would be how much tour groups can stick out. Locals will be able to spot a tour group a mile away, and will tend to avoid them. There will be no blending in, you will be very obviously a tourist. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but sometimes, especially in a country with a negative stereotype toward Americans, it can be particularly unfortunate.

Traveling alone, or with only one or two other people, really fosters a sense of excitement and adventure. You are completely in charge of what you want to do and see, and you won’t have to worry about staying with a pack of people. It gives you time to be spontaneous, and do things that may be off the beaten path. Locals will tend to be more open to talking to you and sharing tips for spending time in their city/country, which is a great way to immerse yourself in other cultures.

However, there are cons to travelling alone. You have to make sure to stay on your A-game, in terms of awareness of surroundings and street smarts. There is no one looking out for you, so it can be a little bit scary, specifically for international travel. Another con would be not learning as much as you would on group tours. Wandering around a city will be beautiful and exciting, but you may not learn as much about the history that surrounds it. Likewise, tour guides will know what to avoid, or the best times to go visit certain places, so you may get stuck in long lines or tourist traps.

Both tour groups and individual trips are very rewarding, and should be on your bucket list to experience both in order to compare for yourself!