Traveling with a tour group, whether with Damesly or with any other tour company, can be a life-changing experience.
But it can also be really hard, especially if you’re not used to small group tours, or if you’re the kind of person who prefers to be able to do your own thing.
If you’re more accustomed to solo travel and being able to make all the decisions on any given day, you might not like having your itineraries tailored and having less free time.
But if the idea of having someone else book hotels and buses for you sounds delightful, or if you’re hoping to meet fellow travelers for future trips, then a group trip might just be perfect for you.
Here are some helpful tips on how to find your own travel style in order to see if a group tour (one of our women-only group tours, specifically) is right for you.
The Benefits of Traveling with a Tour Group
Built-in Community
We created Damesly to help build community – to introduce you to other creative and professional women who also love to travel, and who prioritize themselves and actually go. This is one of the biggest benefits of traveling with a tour company – meeting new people. Travel has an amazing way of building deep friendships, really quickly, and group travel just helps to enhance that. Having shared experiences within these smaller groups allows you to make new friends and form friendships that you wouldn’t otherwise.
Formed Local Relationships
One of the biggest reasons to travel with a tour company is to benefit from their existing relationships. We have great relationships with local hotels and tour guides – forged and fostered over many years – so that you can show up to a trip that’s already polished, and with a tour guide you can trust. Having the right tour guide is essential — they are the ones who will help you better understand a place and its intricacies, steer you away from bad deals and into good ones, and help keep you safe.
Great meals
You didn’t come all the way to Egypt to eat hamburgers! There are few things worse than being stuck in the cattle line when it comes to hotels that cater to Western travelers by feeding them what they think they want – western food! We know, however, that you came to taste the local flavor. So our guided tours will always include eating local foods – and sometimes even tasting street foods!
Increased Safety
One of the biggest benefits of group travel is increased safety. Being led by local guides, who are a part of the local communities you visit, helps you to understand a place better and also helps to keep you safer. Traveling with a tour group is like forming your own protective pod. There are more people to look out for you when wandering through markets, more people to help you haggle or to give you their input when things feel sketchy. Tour groups might not be for everyone, but they are undoubtedly safer than solo travel.
They Boost Your Confidence
Most female travelers who come to places in the Middle East with us do so because they feel intimidated by the idea of going to a place like this alone. And we totally get that (that’s why we’re here). But the coolest thing happens after traveling on a group tour with us – our travelers become more intrepid. They realize that the world isn’t so scary after all, and that they can do things they thought were too hard. Sometimes group travel is just a gateway for solo travelers to get out into the world and do more things on their own.
The Downsides to Group Tours
Ok, now comes the part most tour companies won’t tell you about. Here’s the thing: solo travelers who are used to exploring the world on their own, or who have developed their own travel style, won’t always love being on a group tour.
Here are some potential downsides to consider before you book that next big trip.
You’re on someone else’s schedule
When you travel with a tour group, you’re at the mercy of their itinerary. That means getting up for early morning tours, whether you’re jet lagged or not, and being herded around from place to place with little time to explore on your own.
You’re with a group of people
This might sound a little obvious, but it can nonetheless be draining. If you’re introverted, or just prefer your own company, being constantly surrounded by a group of people means you’ll need to make it a priority to find “you” time.
You have less flexibility
With a tour group, you’re locked into certain activities and hotels. That means if you want to change plans or try something different, you may have to break off from the tour altogether – and at your own expense.
It can be more expensive
You’re paying for convenience on group tours. If you’re someone who needs the absolute best price possible, then you’ll need to be discerning about who you travel with, or perhaps avoid group tours altogether.
You’ll probably wish you had more time
When you’re with a tour group, you’re often seeing the highlights of a place — and there will always be places you wish you had more time in. There will be cities you fall in love with and just don’t want to leave. There are museums you will want to spend hours wandering alone in. This is the biggest drawback to traveling on group tours – you’re stuck doing what the group is doing.
You might not love everyone in your group
They say in a group of 12, there’s always one person you just don’t vibe with. So when it comes to small group tours – that means you’re lucky if you end up on a group where everyone is awesome! It totally happens, don’t get us wrong. We’ve had many groups get along like a house on fire and go on to travel many more places together – and we’ve also met travelers who seemed all but determined to be unhappy.
So is a group tour right for you?
Ultimately, that’s up to you! If you’re the kind of person who has limited time to travel and wants to see more, and on a deeper level, with way more ease – then group travel is perfect for you!
However, if the downsides of this article are deal-breakers for you, then perhaps solo travel is a better fit. Either way, you’re getting out and exploring the world – which will help improve and enhance your life in so many ways!
So, there you have it. We posted an article many tour companies probably wouldn’t — but we believe in honesty and integrity, and we want to manage your expectations so that you can get the most out of your group tour.
Here at Damesly, we aim to be one of the best tour companies in the world for women. We want you to feel excited by the possibilities of group travel, and that means being upfront about the positives, and the negatives.
What are your thoughts on traveling with a tour group? Have you had any positive or negative experiences on group trips? Let us know in the comments below!