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Contiki is great for a particular travel audience. Generally, it’s aimed at younger budget-minded travelers 18 to 35 year olds. Contiki has hundreds of tours operating all around the globe and their whole thing is ‘social travel’. This is for those that want to soak in the cultural side of the destination and dive deep into the local nightlife as well. It makes sense any 18 – 35 year old looking to travel on a budget and party at the same time. Let us take a deeper dive this Contiki Review and 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 and see Europe. Currently, they operate over 300 tours around the world so it’s easy for anyone to find a cool trip anywhere on the globe. I need to mention they won’t allow travelers over the age of 35 to join their tours.
Let me say right now that the average age for a Contiki traveler is 18 to 27.
Accommodations: BUDGET! You’ll be staying in either in a hotel or a hostel 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.
Hot Tip: If you want you can book your own room, that’s supplemental when you book the tour through Contiki directly.
Group Size: As with any Contiki tour you can expect a minimum of 20 or more travelers with you on the bus. I remember when I did a short 8 day trip I was with 25 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.
Contiki Guides: They round up the whole group in the lobby of the hotel / hostel and they take you on the tour. Yes, they’re like the chaperones we had during a school trip. With one difference, they’re all young and they too 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 from what I remember lunch and dinner was all on you. To save money you can catch some street food that is delicious and cheap.
Cost: Totally depends on where you plan to go and for how many days. A tour can range from $800 to $3500. Traveling to Europe will obviously cost more than Asia. Also, you’ll need some spending money for whatever comes up, I remember all I brought was $500 for the week.
Drinking and Partying: As you probably already know Contiki definitely has a partying atmosphere however I strongly suggest those 18 to 20 years old travelers to perhaps hold off on going to the US. The legal drinking age in the US 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.
Contiki Review:
My very first solo tour was with Contiki, I landed in Germany and ended in Prague. I can’t tell you how much fun I had. I have to be 100% honest, I was partying like an animal with everyone else so much of my day was spent being hungover. I pretty much drank Red Bulls to pull it together and finished the tour like a champ. The tour started in Berlin where I met with the tour guide and he was extremely helpful in getting me situated to my room, the rules of the tour, and explaining what optional add-ons were available.
The guide we had was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area and took his time in explaining everything. He was very outgoing so that made the tour better.
Having a good guide is everything!
The breakfast buffet I do remember was absolutely incredible! After a full night of drinking the first thing I wanted to do is chow down on food to soak up the alcohol….we all were doing it.
The negative part was the bus transportation from Berlin to Prague, it was a 5 hour drive so we lose most of the morning.
Prague was the city I fell in love with. I was really 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 I felt was better and there was more to do and see. When the tour ended, I really wanted to stay but alas I had to return to my life in California. That trip forever changed how I viewed traveling alone.
Final Thoughts On Contiki:
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!
Optional Add-Ons: These are excursions that Contiki sets up that do 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 totally optional.
Bus / Coach: This is the only real negative about Contiki, when traveling from one city to the next you’ll be on the bus or coach for a while….in some cases a few hours. That can be a real drag because you lose precious time just sitting on a bus.
Beware of Australians! Seems that all Australians go on a Contiki tour at one point in their lives. Just kidding after doing so many of these tours some of the most fun people I’ve met are from Australia and frankly, they do make the coolest travel buddies.
Most Popular Contiki Tours:
Here are just some of the more popular tours that Contiki runs 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:
Let’s also take a look at a few more of their more popular trips!
If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience on your next trip and have 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 (West) | Trip Details |
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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 Check For Price |
Contiki Trip Ideas!
Contiki is constantly offering specials on their tours so don’t forget to check out their last-minute deals.
South America is a great destination for any budget traveler, check out some of the deals with these destinations Contiki is offering. – BOOK NOW!
Perhaps you’re looking for something more of an exotic destination, Contiki has you covered with a Bali Island Hopper Tour. – BOOK NOW!
Cambodia is another destination that is VERY budget-friendly and fun. Explore the magic Cambodia has to offer and BOOK NOW!
Here are some more of Contiki’s Top European trips, take a look and book your bucket list trip today!
The Review
Contiki Review
Contiki offers fun filled tours for the 18 to 35 year old traveler. The tours are fully organized so you don't have to plan anything. Here's a breakdown as to whom would benefit the most from traveling with Contiki.
PROS
- Super FUN!
- Meeting new people
- You see a lot in a short time
- Great value for the money
- 360+ tours to choose from
CONS
- Not fun for non-partygoers
- A lot of time spent on Bus / Coach
- A little fast paced