Contiki Review | Is It Really Any Good? Pros & Cons

Contiki is great for a particular audience; generally speaking it’s aimed at the 18 to 35-year-old traveler looking to party! Frankly speaking, Contiki’s whole thing is ‘social travel. ’ This is for those who want to soak in culture and dive right into the local nightlife as well. My Contiki review will take a deeper dive into Contiki to see if it’s the right fit for you.

What is Contiki?

Founded in 1962 Contiki is a New Zealand-based tour company catering to the 18 to 35-year-old market. The idea came from the founder looking to travel on a tight budget yet still have fun (party) and see Europe. Currently, they operate over 350 tours around the world so it’s easy for anyone to find a great trip anywhere on the globe.

Did I mention their whole thing is ‘social travel’? When the day tour is over the group gathers together making plans for the night’s festivities. Get ready to party!

Contiki Overview:

Accommodations: BUDGET! You’ll be staying in either hostels or hotels, so understand these aren’t 4 or 5-star hotels or hostels. However, Contiki does its best to find the best 3-star type hotel or hostel. Depending on the continent that 3-star Euro accommodation will be a 5-star somewhere else. The negative is if you’re sharing a room, you’re hoping your roommate won’t snore and will be courteous with the shared space.

That being said, I never felt unsafe in the locations I stayed in. For the most part, you’ll be out all day and partying most of the night, that bed is there for you to crash.

Group Size: As with most Contiki tours, you can expect a minimum of 25 or more travelers with you on the bus. I remember when I did a short 8-day trip I was with 20 or so other travelers. Many travelers will book multiple tours with Contiki so it’s common that during a trip a few will drop off while others will join the group.

Let me say right now that the average age for a Contiki traveler is 18 to 27.

Guides: When you land, you’ll have to get local transport to your hotel. From there you’ll meet your group somewhere at the hotel or hostel lobby. All you do is introduce yourselves your guide will collect whatever information he needs and then you’re off to an evening dinner and drinks. Yes, they’re like the chaperones we had during a school trip. With one difference: they’re all young and want to party. They will take you around the city and do a pub crawl, hit up a club, or some really cool local spot.

Food: Breakfast is provided on all the tours however lunch and dinner are all on you. I saved money by loading up on the breakfast buffet and eating street food (beer and brats).

Drinking and Partying: As you probably already know Contiki has a partying atmosphere. However, I strongly suggest that 18 to 20-year-old travelers hold off on going to the US. The legal drinking age in the USA is 21 and it’s strictly enforced. I’ve had many of my Australian travel mates say that when they visited the US the younger travelers couldn’t visit any bars or clubs.

Optional Add-Ons: These are excursions that Contiki sets up that cost extra. Depending on the country you’re in they can be just about anything but always check what the add-ons are and see which you want to do. Remember these are optional.

Transportation: Depending on the tour it can be Coach (bus) or Rail or even ferry: Traveling via coach can be a real drag because you lose precious time just sitting on a bus. In some cases, it can be a few hours however I remember the bus rides were fun because everyone was talking, joking and half the time we were drinking on the bus!

Contiki Review – Berlin to Prague Itinerary & Review:

My first solo tour was in 2008 with Contiki, beginning in Germany and ending in Prague. I can’t tell you how much fun I had however if I have to be 100% honest much of it was a blur. I was partying like an animal and was drinking way more than I should have. I was hungover during the day tour and by the evening I was downing Red Bulls to keep it together. Berlin is an amazing city and one of the standout attractions was the Olympic Stadium in Berlin with a capacity to seat 74,000 people.

Another important and must-see site is the Brandenburg Gate. It’s such a site to see, you can see why this structure symbolizes Berlin. Some of the other historical buildings we visited were the Reichstag Building or Germany’s Parliament however we didn’t go inside. Luckily, these sites are free to visit and walk around.

We did a lot of walking around the city seeing the remnants of the Berlin Wall and visiting ‘Check Point Charlie‘. We also stopped by both The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the Berlin Cathedral, both churches suffered damages from the Allied bombings during WWII. You can still see the scars that WWII left behind in Germany. As a group, we visited an unassuming parking lot only to learn that it was the site of Hitler’s Bunker.

Berlin is also known for its number of museums, far too many to list but the most important are:

• Pergamon Museum
• DDR Museum
• Museum of Natural History

The one very sobering reminder of Berlin’s dark history was when we visited the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. After Berlin we made a quick pit stop in Dresden, visiting the Semperoper Opera House.

After saying goodbye to Berlin we hopped on the bus to Prague. The negative part was the bus ride from Berlin to Prague, it took nearly 5 hours so we lost most of the morning.

Prague was the city I fell in love with. I was awestruck by how beautiful that city is and how much more fun I had in Prague rather than Berlin. The food and beer in Prague was FAR BETTER than in Germany. I felt Prague had more to offer as there was more to do and see.

First thing we did was hit Charles Bridge, it’s beautiful! I do remember that Charles Bridge was packed in December with tourists. Considering that construction started in 1357 it’s no wonder why this attracts people from all over the world. A very short walk over the bridge you enter the Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) and very much worth your time!

As you walk around a bit more into the Old Town Square you’ll see the 600-year-old Astronomical Clock. If you’re traveling in December you’ll also get the added bonus of the Christmas markets. The atmosphere is very festive and worth every minute just walking around.

St. Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle were also on the list and they were incredible to say the least. The absolute best part about Prague is that everything I mentioned is 100% free to do! Another worthy site to visit is the Jewish Quarter.

When the tour ended, I wanted to stay but alas, I had to return to my life in California. That trip forever changed how I viewed solo traveling.

Final Thoughts On Contiki:

Contiki is tailor-made for young travelers who want to have a great time. On any Contiki tour, you can expect the average age to be from 18 to 28. We were all partying like there was no tomorrow and dragging ourselves through the day sightseeing. I recommend Contiki to any young traveler looking to explore the world and party at the same time. If you’re more laid back and really want to immerse yourself in the culture, Contiki isn’t for you. Frankly, if you’re in your 20s then Contiki should be on top of your list…you will walk away with unforgettable memories.

Should you go on a Contiki tour? 100% absolutely YES, if you…

• Like to party!
• Want the whole trip planned for you
• Want to meet new people
• Are on a budget
• Really like to party!!

Beware of Australians! Seems that all Australians go on a Contiki tour at one point in their lives. Just kidding…some of the most fun people are from Australia, and frankly, they do make the coolest travel mates.

Most Popular Contiki Tours:

Here are just some of the more popular tours that Contiki offers, catering to so many tastes. The best part is they’re constantly running specials with deals left and right. Here’s a glimpse of their more popular tours:

If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience on your next trip and having the time of your life, then consider Thailand! I couldn’t believe how much fun I had during the New Year’s celebration. There’s nothing like reigning in the new year and rocking out on the beach during a ‘full moon party. ’

Thai Island Hopper (East)	Trip Details
	Thailand holds a special place for me frankly, it’s one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. The best part is that it doesn’t cost much at all to have a great time. There is so much to do and experience I highly recommend you consider this awesome trip. For more details and pricing click here.

Contiki Trip Ideas!

Contiki is constantly offering specials on their tours so don’t forget to check out their top last-minute deals.

South America is a great destination for any budget traveler. Check out some of the deals with these destinations that Contiki is offering. – BOOK NOW!

Cambodia and Vietnam are two destinations that are VERY budget-friendly and fun. Explore the magic these two countries have to offer. –  BOOK NOW!

Here are some more of Contiki’s most popular tours. Take a look and book your bucket list trip today!