Millennials and Gen Zers go big on experiences like travel, and many travelers in their 20s and 30s are borrowing a tried-and-true strategy from older generations by booking multi-day guided tours as a way to maximize adventures, simplify planning, and meet like-minded people on trips from tour companies that focus on younger travelers.
According to a recent survey by GetYourGuide, 42% of Millennial leisure travelers and 40% of Gen Z travelers booked a guided tour in the past year, and 81% of Millennials and 80% of Gen Zers say they’re likely to book a guided tour in the next year. It’s an especially appealing option for young solo travelers, who can safely experience the world in the company of new friends and knowledgeable tour guides.
So if you’re a traveler in your 20s or 30s, whether you’re traveling with a friend, a partner, or solo, read on for my list of the best singles guided tour companies for travelers like you.
1. Contiki
The Contiki focus is on travel tours for ages 18 to 35, so young travelers will be exclusively among their peers. The company offers 200+ itineraries in more than 60 countries on six continents. Itineraries range from long weekends to trips up to 60 days long, and travel styles include active and adventure trips, sailing and cruise tours, and small-group tours. All on-trip transportation and accommodations, plus most meals and activities, are included on tours.
Almost 60% of U.S. Contiki travelers join tours solo, and itineraries are built to encourage travelers to be social with each other. Many guests make lifelong friendships on trips and even participate in Contiki’s reunion tours once they age out.
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Sustainability is a big focus for the company, which made all its trips carbon neutral in 2022 and is now working to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the entire business by 2050. Almost every itinerary has at least one “Make Travel Matter” experience to help travelers give back to the people and places they visit, experiences like meeting rescued baby elephants in Kenya or visiting indigenous communities in Ecuador.
Popular tours include the eight-day Thai Island Hopper West trip, the Ireland in a Week tour, and the eight-day Egypt and the Nile adventure. Contiki offers lots of flexibility for young, budget-conscious travelers, like the ability to pay in as many installments as you’d like as long as the trip balance is paid in full 60 days before departure. If plans change and it’s more than 60 days before the departure date, travelers can use their original deposit toward a future Contiki trip without any penalties.
2. EF Ultimate Break
Founded in 2016, EF Ultimate Break focuses exclusively on trips for young adults ages 18 to 35. The company offers more than 140 different trips across six continents ranging from six to 60 days. Tours include multi-country, hiking, city-focused, and theme-based trips, with plenty of budget-friendly options available like the company’s Essential trips. Frequent deals and promotions help make tours even more affordable for Millennials and Gen Zers interested in seeing the world.
Many of the company’s customers are solo travelers, and itineraries are designed to foster connections and bring travelers together. Booking an EF Ultimate Break trip also gives solo travelers the safety and security that comes with a group tour, plus airport transfers and EF’s global support network that’s available 24/7 before, during, and after a trip.
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Popular itineraries include the nine-day Japan: Tokyo & Beyond trip, an 11-day Greek Islands excursion, and the 10-day Germany, Italy & Switzerland tour. Trips include accommodations at boutique hostels or hotels depending on tour type, on-trip transportation, tour directors, free breakfast each morning, welcome and farewell dinners, and pre-arranged excursions and optional add-on activities. The company offers flexible payment plans that include the options to set up automatic payments or to pay at your own pace up to 99 days before departure.
3. Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel has been a leader in responsible travel for 35 years. In 2018, it became the world’s largest travel company to achieve B Corp certification, and it strives to create positive change through immersive and impactful travel.
Intrepid has offered young adult travel trips for ages 18 to 29, but in 2024 the company expanded the age range up to 35 to better serve the next generation of travelers. The company’s 18 to 35s itineraries are specifically designed with Millennials and Gen Zers in mind, taking into account the fact that they’re curious, climate-conscious, and culturally connected. That means lots of local immersion, plenty of free time, opportunities for adventure and time spent in nature, and regional specific food experiences, along with nightlife, photo ops, and unique accommodations when possible.
With an average group size of 10 and led by local tour leaders, these trips are welcome environments for solo travelers. In fact, Intrepid’s highest volume demographic of solo travelers in 2024 was 21- to 30-year-olds, and the 18 to 35s itineraries are one of the company’s top trip categories booked by solo travelers. Popular 18 to 35s trips include the 15-day Real Central Europe tour, the Six Days in Iceland excursion, and the 12-day Essential Morocco trip, and the company’s newest offerings for this age group include the nine-day Essential South Korea tour and the One Week in Costa Rica trip.
4. G Adventures
G Adventures is known for action-packed small group trips with a guiding principle of responsible travel. Social, environmental, and ethical factors are taken into consideration when tours are designed to make sure they have a positive impact on the places visited, and each tour is given a Ripple Score to show how much money stays in the local economy.
The company operates more than 750 trips in more than 100 different countries, including a range of 18-to-Thirtysomethings Tours that are faster paced for younger people and priced affordably for travelers just starting out in their careers. Tours feature stops at cultural sights and attractions during the day, bar and restaurant visits at night (including a “First Night Out” at a local hot spot and a “Big Night Out” toward the end of the trip), and plenty of downtime for exploring at your own pace. Young solo travelers who take these tours get the safety that comes with traveling in a group and the chance to meet new friends from all over the world.
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Tours of Europe and Southeast Asia are popular with G Adventures travelers in their 20s and 30s. Top sellers in the 18-to-Thirtysomethings collection of tours include the seven-day Paris to Rome: Picnics & Pizza tour, 15-day Thailand: Night Markets & Blue Waters trip, and 15-day Southern Africa Encompassed: Bush Camps & Wildlife Spotting tour.
5. FTLO
FTLO isn’t your grandparents’ travel tour operator. The company takes a modern approach to creating trips for young professionals in their mid-to-late 20s and 30s, offering dozens of itineraries around the world that range from explorations of single regions to multi-country excursions. FTLO expects to run more than 250 trips in 2024, with more than 300 planned for 2025, including some new itineraries.
The company takes care of all the details and logistics so that young travelers can focus on exploring their destinations and connecting with other tourgoers. Trips include boutique accommodations, many meals, in-country transportation, scheduled activities, free time recommendations, and an experienced trip leader. Tours and activities are specifically designed for the people in their 20s and 30s, many of whom travel on these trips solo. According to FTLO, this makes its tour participants especially open to connection and friendship, and many participants even meet up after the trips and plan their own future adventures together.
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FTLO recently launched its eight-day Brazil itinerary, which includes a traditional samba class, a Rio food and drink walking tour, a cigar factory tour and rolling experience, and an Ipanema beach day. Other popular trips include a 10-day Bali adventure, an 11-day South Africa safari, and a nine-day tour of the Greek Islands.
6. REI Adventures
If you’re looking to explore the great outdoors in North America, you won’t go wrong with a tour from REI Adventures. The fully hosted, small group trips include lodging (camping or hotel or lodge stays, depending on the tour), on-trip transportation, meals, guides, permits, and some gear. Each itinerary includes a packing list for travelers detailing what’s included; paddling trips, for example, include gear like flotation devices, dry bags, paddles, and kayaks or standup paddleboards. Trips are ranked by intensity level, from easy active to high intensity.
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The company offers trips designed specifically for 18- to 35-year-olds that explore spots like the Yosemite Valley and Great Smoky Mountains in a more affordable and more flexible way. But younger travelers can also participate in any of the 150 REI Adventures itineraries, and any departure can become a private trip with just six people.
Solo travelers make up about 46% of the company’s guests, a number that’s been consistent over the past few years. REI’s Women’s Adventures led by women guides are particularly popular with solo travelers and include trips like a four-day Sedona, Arizona hiking excursion and a three-day Bryce Canyon easy active hiking and camping excursion. New trips launched recently include a California wine country women’s hiking trip and an Asheville-area backpacking trip, and REI has 13 more itineraries are slated to launch by the end of 2024 to destinations, including Acadia and the Oregon Coast.
7. Koda Sail
Koda Sail offers small-ship tours of Croatia, Turkey, and the Maldives designed for young professionals in their mid-20s to late 30s. That means things like spacious air-conditioned cabins with private en-suites and a local chef on board preparing meals. Tours include swim stops and free time when docked in town. Trip leaders offer recommendations on what to see and do, and there are sometimes organized excursions. Dinner and happy hour take place on the boat, and then guests can head back into port to experience the local nightlife.
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Tourgoers come from all over the world, with 30% from the U.S., 50% from Australia, and the rest from places like New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and Singapore. More than 60% of the guests are female, and 33% are solo travelers. Taking part in a trip with like-minded peers with similar travel styles tends to make it easier for solo travelers to get on board, and Koda Sail even offers tips for solo travelers to help them break the ice.
And if being on the water isn’t your thing, the company’s newest tour offering is actually on dry land. The 10-night Africa trip travels from Zimbabwe to Botswana and includes a four-night private safari in the Okavango Delta, whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River, and a tour of Victoria Falls.
