I can’t help but admire the ever-increasing number of nomadic travellers who strike out on their own for months and even years, exploring the world from a truly independent perspective, one hostel, city or continent at a time. This type of solo global walkabout takes a lot of guts and it is certainly a very personal choice.

But at this point in my life, it’s not mine.

Don’t get me wrong. I did it for many years as a single woman traveller. But I’m not afraid to admit that there are certain places in the world where, for various reasons, I think I would prefer to travel with a guide, or with a group where a lot of the guesswork is taken out of the equation. Here are some reasons why I would consider, even prefer, being escorted, and why there is no shame in taking part in a tour:

1. Extremely Different Cultural Ideologies

I really wanted to visit Egypt, a dream I’d had since I was 9 years old. But when I decided to go there in my early 30s, I was travelling alone, and I just felt it would be a better idea to tag along with a group, knowing that I was unfamiliar with the societal and cultural norms of predominantly Muslim countries. The last thing I wanted was to be involved in a situation where, not knowing better, I found myself on the wrong side of either the courts or the court of popular opinion. Having a guide who recommended when and where to wear what, for example, helped avoid unnecessary attention or disrespect – either towards me, or inadvertently by me. In fact, being on the tour gave me an opportunity to get to know Dia, our Egyptian guide, and later meet his family when I was invited to have dinner with them. Meeting them gave me even greater insight into what life in Egypt was really like ? something that seemed like the exact opposite of what you might expect from a tour, but which turned out to be one of the most memorable parts.

Dressing the part in Egypt.

2. Really Remote Destinations

It stands to reason that the more ‘off the beaten track’ the destination, the more difficult it is to get there. And some places are almost impossible to get to as a lone traveller, either logistically, or because it is prohibitively expensive. A group tour allows you to share the cost of a privately chartered boat, for example. making the price much more manageable than if you tried to do it on your own. (Plus, going with a tour means it is someone else’s responsibility if the boat doesn’t show up when you are supposed to go.)

A recent example was when we went to Tanzania, and were keen to meet the Hadza, a nomadic tribe that hunt and gather near Lake Eyasi. Without a tour operator and a guide who knew where to find the current location of the tribe’s camp, we would never have been able to find them. After all, it’s not like there’s a city bus that drops you off in the middle of nowhere at a stop marked ‘Bushmen’.

3. So Many Choices, So Little Time

Tours can often bypass longer lines, like this huge wait for the Vatican museums.

So many museums, so many temples, so many foods, so many festivals and so little time. While I’ve never been a huge fan of the ‘highlights of…’ type of tour of a country, sometimes you only have a short amount of time to see a place, and you don’t have the time to research which must-see places should be on your list. When you only have a few days in Rome, for example, you may not have the time to wait in a lineup for 3 hours just to get into the Vatican Museums. When I only have a day or two in a city, I’ve been known to take a bus tour to help me get an overview and a sense of place, before heading out to explore something in greater detail that may have piqued my interest. We can’t all afford the money or the time to take 3 months to explore a country. If the choice is a shorter tour that gives me a small taste of a country, versus not going there at all, I’ll settle for the tour.

4. Incomprehensible Language

Simply put, if I can’t read the signs or the maps, it makes it a lot harder to get around not to mention figuring out whether you are eating the tarantula or the vegetarian soup. It’s one thing to memorize signs that are based on the European alphabet, but would you know what this meant if you saw it in front of you?

Would you know this meant ‘stop’ without the octagonal shape around it?

How about this?

Not exactly sure what’s going on here…don’t pick up hitchhiking Grim Reapers?

5. Questionable Infrastructure

Bus stop in rural China

If I’m not sure if or when the train, plane, or bus is going to be able to take me from place A to place B, it might be better to stick with a tour. There’s something to be said for having a reliable mode of transportation arranged for you, versus trying to squeeze onto a train that is overbooked or a route that is under-serviced or prone to wildcat strikes or breakdowns ? particularly unappealing when you are left stranded where there are limited options for sleeping or eating. Some people may think that is all part of the fun, and while it can make for a great chapter in your travel story, I don’t want this to be the theme of my entire book.

6. Special Interest or Special Access

Special-interest tours can point out details (like the story behind these gargoyles on Toronto’s city hall)

Sometimes being part of a group grants you special permission to visit certain sites, exhibits or areas of a country typically restricted to the average traveller. Educational tours, for example, can often leverage academic contacts in other countries that result in ‘insider access’ to specific attractions. Or maybe you have a specific passion or hobby that you want to indulge when you travel; many specialty tours focus on activities like photography, architecture, or ‘voluntourism’, allowing you to get the most out of what you really want to experience in each country. It also means you’ll be travelling with like-minded people who are all keen on doing the same thing, making for what can be great conversations, exchanges of information, or even just the shared enjoyment of appreciating a communal feeding frenzy in Tuscany.

7. Culture Shock

Third-world poverty can be heartbreaking.

I’ll be the first to admit that the idea of visiting many third-world countries intimidates me. First of all, there are so many people living in so much poverty. Coming from the luxury of North America, both in terms of personal space, and enviable living conditions, I’m not sure I’d be prepared for the culture shock. To ease with the transition, a tour might be one way to go, rather than go for total immersion by travelling on your own. And in many cases, the tours and dollars you spend with them help the local people, either by giving back directly through donations, or indirectly through employment and economic stimulus.

8. Medical Issues

Just because you may have a medical condition doesn’t mean you can’t travel. But it does mean that you need to take certain things into consideration that a healthy 25 year-old may not. Like, for instance, if you need access to a doctor who speaks English, or specifically one that is familiar with your condition. Having a guide, either private or with a larger tour, can be a huge advantage in case you need to deal with something medical while you are away, as they can be prepared ahead of time in case they need to get you the right help, when you need it.

So, for any traveller asking the question: To Group or Not to Group?, I say do whatever it is that keeps you travelling. It isn’t so much about how you travel as why you travel, and since I plan to travel for as long as I possibly can, I fully expect that means I may have to travel differently at 80 than when I was 25. But you know what? I’m okay with that. And I’m okay with not doing it all on my own, too.

TIP: If you are looking for recommendations for tour operators that deliver authentic experiences either through larger groups or private guides, you can find a few here.

Jane Canapini

Jane is an award-winning travel writer and photographer and an accredited member of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC). In their annual awards competition, TMAC named GrownupTravels.com as the Best Self-Published Travel Blog in 2025 .
She is also a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association, and a freelance travel writer contributing to both print and online publications.