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There are so many tour companies for young professionals it can be difficult to navigate which will be best suited for your particular trip. The top tour companies for young professionals have experience in blending adventure, cultural immersion, fun and making new friendships. Some of my best experiences have come from booking these types of yours, I still have fond memories and friendships from them.
What makes these tour companies so special for young professionals?
First and foremost it’s all about traveling with other like-minded individuals. More and more young people especially Americans are feeling more confident to travel than before. Personally, I prefer experiences over material items, you can’t take ‘things’ with you but you can take memories with you. You never know, I’ve known two individuals that met their spouses while on holiday.
Also, these tour operators offer group packages, adventure-based trips (hiking or cycling), and certain destinations that are off the beaten path destinations like the Caucasus, Central Asia, an African Safari or perhaps Iran. The only thing really holding you back is you…just use your imagination and think of your ideal travel spot.
The tour companies are mostly all-inclusive with the whole itinerary planned out for you. They take care of all the activities, the actual sightseeing tour, accommodations and the travel within the destination. All you need to bring while you’re there is an open mind. Let’s not forget these tour operators offer a slew of trips that are budget-friendly.
Why is travel important for young professionals?
There are so many reasons but the most obvious is that you more than likely don’t have a mortgage or children holding you back. There’s NO SHAME in traveling alone either. Many feel awkward in planning a solo trip which frankly is ridiculous, you’ll be meeting others just like you on guided yours. Many travelers you’ll encounter are just like you so no need to feel awkward.
Hot Top: Meeting people is as easy as introducing yourself “Hi I’m Gary, nice to meet you” that’s all it takes to break the ice.
The name of the game here is to travel on a budget, the below tour companies offer numerous trips that can fit any budget.
Finally, I really hope my blog has convinced you that having tons of money isn’t a requirement for traveling abroad. There are so many travel destinations that are budget friendly and safe.
Best Tour Companies For Young Professionals
Contiki – Travel With No Regrets
It’s impossible not to mention Contiki when discussing tour options for young travelers. They’ve been operating since 1962 and have amassed a following worldwide. They cater to the 18 to 35 year old traveler however from my experience it’s usually 18 to 27 year olds you can expect to see. Contiki has a reputation for being a boozy tour company and for good reason, they have a heavy focus on nightlife. Pub crawls and clubs are the major factors when going on a Contiki tour so better bring your A-Game! No seriously you better be able to hang because Contiki likes to party.
Note: Keeping with youth culture, Contiki has a hard cut off after age 35. That’s what sets them apart from every other tour operator.
Contiki tours are incredibly fun and everything is planned for you. The itinerary, accommodations and transportation will be done for you. Just keep in mind the size of the group can be 25 or more fellow travelers.
Travel Talk
Winner of the 2022 World Travel Awards, Travel Talk is a company to look out for! With 20 years’ experience, they have managed to have 4.8 stars out of 5 star reviews. Although they cater to 18 to 39 year olds they don’t have an age limit. Travel Talk also offers very unique destinations using the best local guides, accommodation and transportation are all covered for you. Don’t feel like doing a bus tour, no problem you can set sail around the Balkans or Greece.
Another big thing is their tours have guaranteed departures. That’s huge! The last thing you need is to find out that your whole tour was canceled 60 days prior. The only negative is that they don’t have that many departure dates for a given tour.
It’s worth giving Travel Talk a good hard look since many of the tours they offer aren’t exactly the typical tours you’d expect. There are currently 126 tours operated by Travel Talk, take and see which will be your next trip.
G Adventures
G Adventures is geared toward the 18 to 30 something traveler. They’re an exceptional option for young professionals. Another great plus for G Adventures is their guaranteed departures, in fact they were the first to offer this great feature so no worry with last-minute cancellations. As far as departure dates, they offer many departure dates that can accommodate your work schedule. G Adventures also wins in that they have smaller groups with 17 fellow travelers max.
If your travel style is more for the 18 to 30 something, then check out these destinations:
Another thing very UNIQUE about G Adventures is the wide variety of trips with differing comfort levels as well. You can go with classic tours, marine tours, and wellness tours they also offer National Geographic Journeys.
If you want to know more, check out their latest travel deals and save 15%, 20%, 25%, or 30% off their best adventures all across the world.
One Life Adventures
I like the philosophy behind this tour company, “We believe travel changes you & it can change the world. I completely agree with that statement. Their destinations are incredible, they include: Bali, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Japan. There is no age limit with One Life Adventures so depending on the destination like Japan, you can expect a couple of older folks to be on the tour.
Bali and the Philippines will bring together younger travelers so don’t be afraid to ask questions.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER! Use discount code STRAPPED10 to get 10% off any trip you book with One Life Adventure!
Yes, use this code and save 10% off any of their awesome trips!
One last thing about One Life Adventures is that they try to be as socially responsible as possible. They support community projects, support the use of local guides, they support sanctuaries for wildlife and lastly, they have an eye for environmental protection.
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a great option for young professionals with their age specific tours for 18 to 29 year olds so I HIGHLY recommend looking at those options. Normally Intrepid Travel is open to all ages so be aware of the trip you plan to research and book. Intrepid Travel is unique because they focus on smaller groups 10 to 16 travelers at the most.
Frankly the older I get I prefer smaller group tours because it allows you to make connections that much quicker and you get more attention from the guide as well.
Intrepid Travel offers more activity-based type trips such as cycling, hiking, and foodie trips, they offer a wide variety of trips that will suit your tastes.
How can I book a tour with these companies?
I’ve made things easy by providing links for the above tour companies so you can click and explore the best trip for you directly on the website. Another great resource is using TourRadar to compare and book your bucket list trip anywhere in the world. You can also get access to deals and discounts that are often not available if they book directly.
That’s it! The above tour companies do their best in blending adventure, cultural immersion, fun and lastly making new friendships.