The Scoop: What to Know About EF Go Ahead Tours

Affordable, experiential, and accessible tours are EF Go Ahead Tours' focus.

guests aboard a gondola in Venice on an EF Go Ahead Tours tour in Italy
(Photo: EF Go Ahead Tours)
  • Curious about EF Go Ahead Tours? Here’s our objective snapshot of what to expect from the tour company.
  • I’ve updated it for 2024 and verified that all the info is current.

The tour company EF Go Ahead Tours is owned by EF Education First, a company that’s been offering language, academic, and cultural programs for more than 50 years. The tour arm of the company focuses on being an affordable, experiential, and accessible way for travelers to connect with the world. 

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 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, though currently user ratings are low on the site. 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

Tour group walking down a city street on an EF Go Ahead Tours tour
EF Go Ahead Tours has a strong experiential focus, and runs tours on all seven continents (Photo: EF Go Ahead Tours)

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.

Tour Types

EF Go Ahead Tours has many 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. There are also city stay tours, which give travelers the chance to go deep in a single European city for a week of guided excursions. There are also special event tours that focus on special access to major celebrations like Oktoberfest, New Year’s Eve, and St. Patrick’s Day. Additionally, the company has history tours; national park tours; religious and spiritual tours; tours geared to families; and tours for solo travelers.  

It also operates small group tours that range in size from 10 to 22 people and focus on adventure travel, food and wine, or safari and wildlife. 

Tour Guides

Tour guide talking to guests on an EF Go Ahead tour
EF Go Ahead tour directors have backgrounds in tourism, history, or education (Photo: Jessica Wardwell/EF Go Ahead Tours)

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. 

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

Guests walking down a path near Lake Como with a mountain in the background on an EF Go Ahead tour
Tours attract a mix of solo, couple, and group travelers (Photo: EF Go Ahead Tours)

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 175+ 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

EF Go Ahead Tours parent company EF Education First focuses on programs for students and teachers. It has language programs, university programs, and gap year offerings.

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Christine Sarkis is the co-founder of Vacationist Media and editor-in-chief of TourScoop and FamilyVacationist.com. She is the former executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, a travel publication owned by Tripadvisor. Her work has been published in dozens of publications including Conde Nast Traveler and USAToday, and she has been quoted in print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also offered tips for travelers on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now.