Our trips attract a number of solo travellers and we also operate some ‘Singles Only’ departures. Except for trips that are specified as ‘Singles Only’ you can expect some of the other travellers to be single. In fact our ratio of solo travellers usually exceed travellers with companions and the chances you have other solos on your trips are pretty high.
Many of our trips are guaranteed to operate from as few as 02 persons but the average group size of most trips ranges from 6 to 8 persons. As a company committed to small group travel experiences that allow fellow travellers to bond in a deeper way, we cap our groups at 14 travellers unless the circumstances are exceptional or it’s a closed group.
We welcome a good proportion of both men and women on all of our trips, however the ratio witnessed over a period of time is slightly skewed towards more women. Single women travellers tend to join our group tours as a result of the guaranteed safety, support and convenience on all of our trips.
Hotels charge on a per room basis and this is why sharing your room with a companion brings down the costs significantly if you have someone to share your room with. You are probably a single traveller because you don’t have that companion. But one of the perks of being on a single traveller with us is that you can opt to share a room with another solo traveller. This means you don't have to pay the single supplement cost. We will help pair you up with another single traveller of the same gender to share a room with. Of course this cannot always be guaranteed but with our small groups we are usually successful with this. If we don’t find a single traveller for you to share your room with, you need to go with a single room at the supplementary cost.
Of course, if you prefer a room to yourself then you are welcome take a take the single room option with the single supplement. This is available on most of our trips. On some trips or parts of some trips, this may not be possible, as the tour may include camping or the trip may be to a destination where accommodation options are in short supply or the ecology of the place demands sharing of resources. Such circumstances mean that travellers need to share a room with a person of the same gender to optimize on the resources. Typical examples of this would be the Everest Base Camp Trek, trekking in Borneo or camping tours etc. You will find this information, where applicable, under the price details.
Group travel in general is beneficial to single travellers because it offers economies to scale pricing, safety, security, convenience and companionship of fellow travellers. However, the experience of a small group travel is unparalleled as the (English speaking) local expert guide to traveller ratio is much better and this helps travellers gain a deeper insight into the destination and its people. Our trips in particular use local accommodations ranging from homestays, to lodges and boutique hotels, which support the local economy to grow and thrive. We also plan our itineraries to give you time to soak in the destination and try to include unique outdoorsy experiences that help make the holiday unforgettable. Basically consider yourself in for the trip of a lifetime!
Niche travel companies like ours and also our partners, attract like-minded travellers from all over the world. Travelers are typically in their mid-thirties but we also see a good number of travellers in their twenties to those in their mid to late forties. Attracting travellers from management and corporate backgrounds such as banking and marketing, to those from creative fields and professionals such as doctors and lawyers, these groups are made up of fun and adventure loving, outdoorsy travellers with a real interest in exploring behind the scenes. Yet, behind the fun personalities are responsible people who genuinely care about the stories of the destination, the people and the environment!
Yes, absolutely. All that we need to know is – how many people, which trip and when. Some destinations and trips are influenced by the season of operation, although we do have a lot of trips that operate year round. Our deposit policy for these trips is the same as our other trips – a non-refundable payment of US$250 per member. If we are customizing a trip for your group our custom group policies apply.
All of our Asia trips are either fully guided or semi-guided. Either way, all the logistics are looked after. In Europe most of our trips are self guided but you will have a 24 x 7 emergency contact. On all our guided tours, the guides are Active Holiday Company qualified local experts and they are the final authority when you are on the tour. A semi-guided trip is not entirely guided and on few days or for few activities you may be on your own. However, our detailed itinerary, maps and travel documents are adequate for you to find your way around in such situations.
Safety and security is of primary importance to us and we do not compromise on anything to set the standard when it comes to this. Safety of numbers on small group tours is one of the main reasons that solo travellers opt for group departures. However, like in any other trip you are responsible for your belongings, and are advised to stay with the group. Most big cities need everyone to stay alert. If we feel there is any threat to the safety of the group, we reserve the right to cancel, amend reschedule the trip or parts of it.
Our intention is to operate the departures we schedule, however sometimes we do need to cancel or reschedule a trip based on circumstances beyond our control. We also need minimum participants to operate most of our trips though many of our departures are guaranteed to operate from just 02 persons onwards.