Escorted Tours?

Sapphire3

Hello!

I was thinking of taking one of the escorted tours with either Mackin Travel or Travel Department. I am trying to convince the husband to come along, but if he doesn't, it will have to be solo.

I suffer from anxiety and haven't been on a decent holiday in a long time, so I am thinking an escorted tour might be the best for me, for now. It will be easier for me, to have everything arranged and be guided around if you know what I mean?.

Are these tours mostly geared towards the senior citizen crowd? I am 37, so are there usually people around my age on these tours..however tbh it doesn't bother me if they are all senior citizens. Do you know of any women who went on their own with these tours? How did they find it?

I am interested in any feedback, and would welcome any suggestions for other travel agents as well. Thanks.

RobertKK

https://www.gadventures.com/travel-styles/ has a lot of escorted tours, and Yolo tours in that look so cheap and for 18-39 years old, I am only slightly too old

I am going on my first escorted tour next August, I know there will be older people on it but I don't mind, it is to Yellowstone and to view the solar eclipse.

Sapphire3

RobertKK wrote: »

https://www.gadventures.com/travel-styles/ has a lot of escorted tours, and Yolo tours in that look so cheap and for 18-39 years old, I am only slightly too old

I am going on my first escorted tour next August, I know there will be older people on it but I don't mind, it is to Yellowstone and to view the solar eclipse.

I know how you feel, I am slightly too old for most things it seems
I will check out the website you mentioned, thank you.

Have a great vacation in August, it sure sounds like it's going to be great. Enjoy

The Black Oil

The tone of the marketing and social media can sometimes give an indication on the age side, I guess. I think my folks are using the Travel Department for India, not 100% sure...

Trek America - similar to the age bracket stated earlier, I've tended to be on the older side of those trips, but it's not always 90% drink mad 20 year olds and the rest 30+. GAA is their sister company. G Adventures - have heard positive things, but have no personal experience. Same with Intrepid. I think Intrepid/GAA/Trek America are all under one big umbrella, afaik.

One of my best US trips was with GCEX - this is a very specific trip, though. I was the only non-American on this and they couldn't get over the fact I had travelled over. Tremendous trip! But pricey, without flights. And it can be the luck of the draw who you're travelling with. Have had a tour leader that wasn't a great communicator, a bit green and one of my fellow passengers did smash up a hotel room pretty badly in a drunken rage - thankfully, I wasn't sharing with him. I've never seen personal/bitter animosity between passengers. The two aforementioned 'issues' were on Trek America and I'm approaching being a little old for those too. Just a feeling - generally I've found age isn't a huge barrier to people getting along and most are pretty sound.

RedSpokes - cycling, if you're up for that.

Have a look at Exodus too. I used them for a trip to Finland and it wasn't a party tour, mixture of adults and families (they gear some tours to families, but I think they run them parallel and just modify the local activities per group) and single people. I highly recommend sledding with huskies. :D:D Abbey Travel are the Irish agents.

anewme

Can give you feedback on these.

Went with intrepid to Vietnam - great trip, mixed ages, I was the only irish person.

Went with Exodus last year - group of 13 ranging in ages from late 20's - late 60's - majority of ppl being late 30's - early 40's...Good age and social mix- 4 Irish out of 13

Did the states as well last year with GAA as mentioned above, tour was excellent, very small group, but tour was expensive, especially with solo supplement

Lady in work did a Travel department department tour recently - its more coach trip styled as the groups are quite large. She enjoyed the tour but said I would not as it would too old for me- (she's only 10 years older but said she was almost the youngest) and Im quite adventurous, but I suppose the locations would also effect the age profile

I'm seriously looking at that Gcex website, even though I'm only back from Grand Canyon.

That type of tour would be very different from travel department style trips

Living Off The Splash

I have had mixed tours with the Travel Department in the past. Some were O.K. some were absolutely dreadful.

One thing is for certain, you will pay double what it would cost to do it yourself.

Hotels are usually in the middle of nowhere, nothing to do in the evening.

Choose very carefully.

dev100

I thought the same going on guided holidays / didn't know what to expect but I'm glad I went

I done a tour of Vietnam with G adventures my group ended up small about 10 few from UK Swiss and mostly Ozy folk . Made up of a mother daughter a married couple and rest single travellers . You will get more ozys on the south east Asian tours. You will get a wide range of ages so don't worry about that. No one will be looking at you in any kind of way .

G adventures I couldn't recommend highly enough. Fantastic guides . I'd use them again.