Hi Everyone

Let me just tell you all how excited I've found this message board. I'm 26 F from the US and I'm looking into my first solo trip, since I can't manage to get anyone interested in my type of vacations! In all my research, I'm heavily leaning toward taking a trip to Europe (Spain or Italy) in the Fall 05 with Contiki Tours, however, I'm a little hesitant on what they're like and if I should go another route. Anyone here ever take a tour with Contiki around my age? Most reviews I find on the internet are from the college crowd and I'm not looking forward to spending my vacation like the Real World the whole time.

Any advice or reviews of Contiki would be appreiciated! Thanks!

i did a contiki tour right after grad school (so i think i was about...31?) i was one of the older ones on the tour, but found the average age to be about 24 - 27. i did it alone and had a great time. highly recommend it for europe, it saves you a lot of work doing research, etc...altho i still did my own and was able to find the "non-tourist" spots. i met a lot of great ppl who i am STILL in touch with, including my roomie, who ended up being from australia. the nice thing about contiki tours is that you have your own free time to go do your thing, but they also have guided group tours as well, which is nice b/c entrance fees are already covered. also, you don't have to hassle w/ the hotel reservations. the not so nice thing was that we spent a LOT of time on the bus moving from country to country, so recommend you do not drink too much if you are going to be on the bus for 8 hours the next day!!

I did a Contiki tour of Scotland back in 2000, a tour they soon discontinued. I was 31 so in comparison, I was older than most of the others. I went with a friend but I almost wish I'd gone alone because it kept me from getting to know the other travellers as much. She wanted us to do things by ourselves. We had a mix of folks from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Greece, Egypt and Spain. They were all very nice and fun to talk to. Very upbeat.

I think our group was pretty tame compared to some, at least according to our driver. Some groups do tend to drink a lot and party, I will tell you that. The Contiki message boards are proof. But at the same time, you get to see a lot and they make all the arrangements. That I liked a lot. The hotels were decent and we saw a lot of good sites. Plus, our driver would pull over and let us out to take pictures or just stretch our legs.

On the whole, I recommend them as a fun way to do Europe solo but not entirely solo! They're also pretty affordable.

I went on one and was totally disappointed. If you want to see a lot, fast, and just be taken, it's for you. Personally I don't like being rushed back onto a bus after one hour at some amazing place I may never been to. I went for the same reason- none of my friends wanted to travel - but since then I have traveled extensively on my one, staying in hostels, and would never do it another way. I actually just ran a hostel in Charleston SC for the last year, and I'd say 60% of our travelers were college grads bw 23-30 traveling alone on break. The rest were traveling with friends they were sick of and happy to meet people! I was terrified the night before I started traveling, and was amazed at how fun it was. People don't just stay in hostels bc they're cheap- they do it to meet other travelers. Try www.hostelz.com for great honest reviews, and buy a Lonely Planet guidebook too! Also, hostels in the summers are more filled with people who just graduated and just want to party, and they are harder to get a bed without a reservation. The rest of the year it's more later 20's. Hope that helps!

I just read my posting and was horrified at all the typos- sorry - I was on the phone at the same time!

I have no personal experience with organized tours but am under the impression that your comparison of Contiki and Real World might not be too far off!

Are you sure you wouldn't rather travel independently? It's not hard, really. And you can always pick up day tours in individual cities, or a bike ride, or arrange for classes or interest groups of various sorts along the way.

The thought of being herded around on a big bus, told where you are going to eat, what time you have to get up in the morning, not getting to pick your own hotels, etc. well it has always sounded like a travel nightmare to me.

Thanks to all who replied to my message! I appreciated the invaluable info very much!!

I was really trying to decide whether or not to "really" solo or do a tour by myself. I think I'm still going to start off joining a guided tour for my first intro to Europe (and international travel) and see how that goes. I actually just found out about Trafalgar's Breakaway tours for 21-38 year olds and I think that may be a better option for me, from the reviews and research I've done. If all goes well, I'll return home planning my next trip in the Spring of 06 (dare I say it) totally solo!

That sounds like a good idea. I didn't know Trafalgar was aiming for a younger age group and that's great to hear. In the past, they have mostly aimed at the senior market. I'll have to check into that!

You might want to look into Intrepid Travel. Their tours range in age from preschool to 80+.

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/impulse.php

Hello, I'm just in the process of looking for a trip to Europe (in Sept) as well and came across Intrepid. Seems like a good website and fairly priced. Amarie978, have you gone on your trip yet? Which company did you end up choosing? Thanks!

Im planning on taking a Contiki trip in Spring 2006 of Europe. I've been talking to TONS of people...contacted them through contiki message boards, theres another site called contiki cafe with lots of advice. I go to the section of the contiki site to find people that have already been on the tour I want to go on, then email them and ask them how it went. I've only got one negative review, the rest loved their trip. I know it will be rushed, but I feel for my first time in Europe, being alone, I would rather have it all planned out for me. then you can see the places you like to return to on your own for more time. Organized tours have their ups and downs, and I think its mostly what you make of it, whether you decide to enjoy the experience, or just be upset about the places you are missing. take it as it comes and enjoy it and Im sure you will have a great time. contiki does sound more for the young partying crowd but people can choose not to join in on this!

i highly recommend contiki for solo travellers. i did three months in europe with them and had a great time. personally know 4 other people who did contiki and they all loved it too.
i never felt really rush at any of our stops. plus, when you arrive at a destination, they are very good about telling you which public transportation to take to get back to their location. so, if you take the bus somewhere and they are only staying 2 hours and you want to stay 4 - as long as they aren't moving onto another town, stay as long as you like and just get yourself "home".
there were all types of people on my trip so never had a problem hanging out with a group depending upon my mood. could go with the partiers/drinkers one day and the next, with the history buffs. that is the joy of going single. you don't have to ask anyone else where they want to go that day and you can easily join another group.

Amarie978,

I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm 29 F wanting to take a trip (and can't manage to get my friends interested in my type of vacations too) and want to do a tour for my first time. I've been wondering about Contiki so this is all great info. If you do end up going on the Trafalgar tour let me know how it goes. I would definitely be interested in hearing your experience.

I've done 2 Contiki tours-the first was Greek Island Hopping in 1999 (I was 29) and the second was Beaches and Reefs in Australia in 2001 (31). I'm American.

Had a GREAT time in Greece. Because it was island hopping we didn't have a bus, the tour was only about 25 people, and there were many ppl around my age and older (I was with a friend who was 3 years older). Our tour guide was an incredibly fun South African and we bonded as a really tight group. I didn't feel old or out of place, and the tour was very relaxing with a lot of free time. My tour had some Aussies, a couple of Kiwis, Americans, and Canadians and we all mingled really well (not a hook up tour but close friends).

When I went to Australia I was 31 and solo. This tour had a bus, lots of driving days, and about 50 ppl which was just too many. Surprisingly to me there were a lot of Aussies on the tour but they were friendly. There were only about 8 Americans and MUCH anti-American sentiment and this was right before 9/11. I don't know why but the Canadians were pounding on us! I also felt really old as most of the ppl were in their early to mid 20s.

I had a great time in Greece and a mixed experience in Australia (love the country, been back every year since!) but if you are 26 I would suggest Contiki. It's well organized and the ppl are really fun. It also depends on where you go. I think if you go on a European tour in the summer you will find more recent college grads but it really all depends. Some postings I"m sure you will read about them being hook up tours and some definitely are, but again, IMO it really depends on the group you're with. PPL hooked up on both my tours and we did go out a lot of nights but it could be as mellow or as crazy as you want it to be. There were certainly times in Greece we went "out" and other times when we wanted to relax (one night we went to an open-air cinema to watch a movie).

On a high note, I am still terrific friends with an American I met on the Aussie tour (we went skydiving together in Cairns and get together as much as we can and watch the videos!) and from the Greece tour have visited friends in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia and keep in touch with the friend I went with (Chicago) and another girl from Dallas. I just got invited to the Sydney friend's wedding too!

I personally had mostly positive experiences and think it is probably the best trip with ppl around your age range.

Hi Islandgurrl

Well, I did go on my Trafalgar tour and I don't regret it for a second. It was what they call a Breakaway tour, geared to 21-38 yr olds. Mostly, there were Aussies/Kiwis, then Canadians and then a handful of Americans. In total, there were about 44 of us and I'd say the average age was about 28-30. Our tour was 11 days through Italy, with 2 night stops in Rome, Sorrento, Florence and Venice and a 1 night stop in Milan. I was 27 by the time the tour started and by myself, but practically everyone is in the same boat - about half my tourmates were on their own, many for the first time like me. Check out Trafalgar's website and messageboards - lots of info traveling solo and the Breakaway tours. I hear they are going to be expanding the number of destinations for these tour types in 2007.

As for Contiki, I'm kind of glad I didn't try them. Trafalgar owns Contiki (or something like that) and we had a few Contiki groups staying at the same hotels we were, but they were just a tad annoying -- as in running up and down the hallways at 5 am annoying. While our group didn't party that much, there was always the opportunity (if anyone wanted to) to go out in the 2 night stay cities, usually a discoteca after dinner or a pub, organized by the Tour Director. You always had a ride home too, either with the tour bus, or by being reimbursed for taxi fare. Basically the tour had the fun party atmosphere for those who wanted it at night, but everyone was still in to the sight seeing/history/art museum thing during the day. It was like the best of both worlds, without the "Spring Break" attitude. Hope this helps your travel plans! Good Luck!

You might also check out Globus/Cosmos tours and some of the tour companies that offer more active adventure tours, like Exodus.co.uk and Explore.co.uk. Some of the adventure vacations combine physical activities (e.g. hiking) with visits to cities. I did one in Spain with Exodus a few years ago and it was great. The physical activities allow you to see the places you're visiting up close, give you a sense of accomplishment ... and burn calories, increasing your capacity to splurge at meals.

How much time do you have for your trip? If you have more than a week or so and you decide to join a tour, I'd recommend that you book a tour that is shorter than your vacation, so that you can go exploring a little on your own at the end. If you have a lot of time (e.g. 3 weeks), consider booking two short tours rather than one long tour - diversifies the risk of getting trapped with uncongenial travel companions or a lousy guide.

Another option you could consider, instead of an organised tour, is to take a language study holiday for a week or two, and then travel afterwards. Various universities and private schools offer courses at relatively low prices, and usually offer value-priced accommodation (including staying with host families, in dorms, etc). If you take such a holiday, you'll a) acquire or improve a skill (good for your cv), b) meet interesting people from around the world, c) learn about the country, culture and language of the place you're visiting, and d) have access to the local and regional tours that are offered by the school. Other students at the school likely will be keen to explore the city with you - or even to travel with you afterward. Such a holiday provides some of the benefits of travelling with a tour, but offers other benefits, too. I've taken courses in France and Spain, and I've always met congenial students who are interested in exploring the city and country around them.

Thanks Amarie978, Abby43, and KateW for all the information. It's been very helpful. Now I just have to commit myself to the time and a tour.

Amarie978,

I'm 28F from the US, and did Contiki tour when I was 26 (in the summer of 2004) for my very first trip to Europe. I took their Getaway tour of London, Paris, and Amsterdam - and loved it! I wanted a superior-rated hotel (no hostels for me) and also a little bit more flexibility and freedom in my schedules - so the Getaway tour was perfect for me. There were a lot of people from Australia, Canada, and a handful from the US - with ages ranged from 18-32ish.

I personally liked the convenience of having the transportation between countries arranged for me, and to be totally truthful, I liked that they handled my luggage because I always shop during my trip and end up with heavier suitcase at the end of my trip. I usually carry 26" which might be a bit too big for me to handle if I were travelling alone by trains to a few different countries.

I am currently debating between their "13-days Simply Italy" tour or "8-days Italian Espresso" (a new one!!) for this year

I did a contiki tour in 2001. It was my first introduction to travelling so it was a good way to get my feet wet so to speak. I had a good time but I would not do it again. Mainly because I have travelled alone I like do my own thing.

Contiki will give you a introduction to each, you just hit the major tourist spots and then leave. Quite a bit of time is spent on the bus (depending where you are going).

I would recommend it for Europe if you are short on time and money and want to see a lot. The price includes all ground transportation, most meals and accomodations and you can do your own thing. I wouldn't recommend their optional excursions, they're a rip off. I also woudldn't recommend buying anything from the shops they take you to, I'm sure they get commission or something and it's not cheaper.

It's good way to meet people from all over. On my tour, there were people from Lebanon, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, but mostly from Australia and New Zealand who love to party and drink...alot. That's fine if that's your thing. Not everyone is into that so you will form groups who have similar interests.I made really good friends that I still keep in touch with.