One of our specialties here at TourScoop are these deep dives into individual tour companies. In this article, I’m explaining everything you need to know about EF Go Ahead Tours—a tour company with an experiential, educational focus—so you can decide if it’s a good fit for you.
The tour company EF Go Ahead Tours specializes in educational, experiential, accessible tours, making it a great fit for curious travelers looking for carefully curated immersive experiences around the world. EF Go Ahead is owned by EF Education First, a company that has offered language, academic, and cultural programs for more than 50 years.
TourScoop takeaways
- Countries: 87 countries on seven continents
- Tour size average: The standard group size is capped at 38 guests. EF Go Ahead Tours’ small group tours range in size from 10 to 22 people. Private tours (more on that below) can be arranged with seven or more people, and custom tours with 14 or more people.
- Tour type: Coach, ferries, trains, flights
Credibility check
EF Go Ahead Tours is accredited by the Better Business Bureau has an A+ rating from the organization. The company is an active member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). Note that there are many more ratings and reviews of EF Educational Tours (the branch of the organization that operates academic programs) than EF Go Ahead Tours, but that they are operated separately and for different audiences.
Tour destinations
EF Go Ahead Tours has itineraries in 87 countries on all seven continents. Some of its most popular destinations include Italy, Portugal, Kenya, Costa Rica, and Ireland.
New tours for 2025
EF Go Ahead’s new lineup includes Scandinavia for Solo Travelers: Norway’s Fjords to Copenhagen and two new special event tours to India: Holi in India: Delhi, Varanasi & Agra and Diwali in India: Delhi, Varanasi & Agra.
Tour types
EF Go Ahead Tours has a ton of different tour types. On the more traditional end of tours are its multi-country and grand tours, which bundle multiple destinations into a single trip. Its small group tours range in size from 10 to 22 people and focus on adventure travel, food and wine, or safari and wildlife.
There are also city immersion tours, which go deep in a single European city for a week of guided excursions. Special event tours focus on special access to major celebrations like Oktoberfest, New Year’s Eve, and St. Patrick’s Day. On top of that, the company also has culinary tours, history tours, national park tours, religious and spiritual tours, tours geared to families, and tours for solo travelers. Any tour can be turned into a private tour (more on that in the Private tours section below).
Tour guides
Tour leaders, known as tour directors, bring backgrounds in tourism, history, and/or education. Tour directors partner with local guides along the way to offer participants additional insights into specific destinations. Many tour directors have been with EF Go Ahead Tours for 20 years or longer, which is a big deal since tour guides generally work on contract and so aren’t necessarily beholden to stick a single company just for the heck of it.
Inclusions/extras
Itineraries are a mix of guided tours and group meals, plus free time so guests can explore at their own pace. Airfare isn’t part of the base rate, but EF Go Ahead Tours offers flight booking with airport transfers, plus help if flights are canceled.
Typical travelers
EF Go Ahead Tours guests tend to be 35 and older, with most tours attracting a mix of solo, couple, and group travelers.
Communication
Travelers who have booked a tour can download EF Go Ahead’s mobile app to access resources and pre-departure information. Within three months of tour, the company offers a pre-departure information session that’s also available on-demand.
The company regularly updates its FAQ Hub with frequently asked questions. It also has a dedicated expert team for urgent issues that may arise before or during a tour.
Loyalty program
EF Go Ahead Tours’ loyalty program, Club Go, allows guests to earn tour credits to put toward future trips, collectible moment and milestone badges, flexible rebooking benefits, and an online hub.
Private options
Any of the company’s 200+ itineraries can be packaged as a Private Tour. EF Go Ahead Tours allows groups of 14 or more to customize their experience on a custom tour, and offers private tours on existing itineraries for groups of seven or more.
Sustainability efforts
EF Go Ahead Tours has partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to create and conserve forests to plant 3 million mangrove trees. The company has been carbon negative since 2021, with the goal is to be historically carbon neutral (dating back to 1965).
The company collaborates with the communities it travels to in an effort to preserve local cultures and encourage sustainability. It also works with travelers to share how thoughtful travel choices can leave a lasting, positive impact on destinations, people, and the environment.
Health and safety practices
EF Go Ahead Tours puts into place health and safety protocols with its Travel-Ready Approach. As part of this, it operates both a crisis response team and its EF Global Safety Network, which constantly reviews national and international travel guidelines. It also offers 24/7 on-call support, 50,000 EF staff on the ground in 50 countries, and more than half a century of traveler support.
Family companies
Along with EF Ultimate Break (for adults 18-35) and EF Adventures, EF Go Ahead Tours is one of three tour companies that makes up EF World Journeys. EF Journeys is part of EF Education First, which focuses on programs (including language programs, university programs, and gap year programs) for students and teachers.
