How Our Group Tours Work, Step by Step

A group tour is a trip with fixed dates and a set itinerary that you join along with other travellers. You choose a trip and a departure date, book your place, and a tour manager looks after the plan on the ground. This walk-through shows how to do that on our site and what to check before you pay.

What a fixed departure means

On a fixed departure, the dates, route and hotels are decided in advance. You do not design the trip; you join it. That is the main difference from a private trip, where everything is built around you.

The benefit is simplicity. Much of the planning is already done, and you travel with a group instead of working out transfers and sightseeing alone. The trade-off is flexibility: you follow the group's dates and schedule. If you want your own dates or pace, our custom trips team can plan a private itinerary.

Step 1: Find a trip on the Group Tours page

Everything starts on the group tours page. It lists upcoming group departures, and you can browse them as they appear or narrow them down with the filters.

You can filter by:

• Where: the region or country you want to visit.
• Month: the month you want to travel, so you see only departures that fit.
• Budget: a price range that suits you.
• Duration: the number of days you can spare.

You can also sort the list to put the options that matter to you first. If you only know that you have a week off in a given month, start with month and duration and look at what appears. If you already know where you want to go, start with the destination.

Step 2: Read the trip page carefully

Each group trip has its own page. Take your time with it, because it tells you what you are actually buying. You will typically find:

1. The itinerary, day by day, so you know what each day involves.
2. Inclusions, which lists what the price covers.
3. Exclusions, which lists what you pay for separately.
4. Other information, such as notes on documents, weather or pace.
5. Departure dates and the price per person, so you can choose a date and see the cost.

Inclusions and exclusions differ from trip to trip, so never assume. For example, whether flights, meals or entry tickets are covered depends on that trip, and the page is where it is spelled out.

Step 3: Choose a date and book

Once you have found a trip, pick the departure date you want and check the price per person. Then follow the booking steps on the site. In general terms, booking works like this:

1. Select your trip and departure date.
2. Enter the traveller details asked for, such as names as they appear on the passport for overseas trips.
3. Make the payment shown for confirming your place.
4. Receive confirmation and further instructions for the balance and documents.

The exact amounts, due dates and payment options are shown on each trip and during booking, so check them there. If you prefer to talk to someone first, you can ask us questions before you book.

Step 4: Get your documents in order

For India trips, you mainly need valid photo identification. For international trips you need a passport with enough validity left, and many destinations require a visa or an online authorisation. Entry rules change from time to time, so confirm them with the official source or with us. Our guide to visa basics for Indian travellers explains how to check.

Think about travel insurance too, and use our packing checklist for international trips as you get closer to departure.

What to ask before you book

A few questions can save trouble later. Ask us, or check the trip page, for the following:

• Are flights to the starting point included, or do I book them?
• What does the price cover each day, and what is extra?
• How much walking or physical effort is involved?
• What are the terms shown on this trip for changes or cancellations?
• How do rooms work if I am travelling alone?
• What documents do I need, and how long do they take?

We do not state cancellation or refund terms in this article because they differ by trip. Each trip shows its own terms, so read them before you pay.

On the trip

On the day, you meet your tour manager and fellow travellers and follow the itinerary together. The tour manager coordinates transfers, hotels and the daily plan and is there to help if something changes. We explain our approach in why we run small group departures.

Free time is built into most itineraries, so you can wander, shop or simply rest. If you have specific needs, such as dietary preferences, mention them when you book rather than on arrival.

Group tours suit travellers who like a ready plan, enjoy company and want a tour manager on the trip. They are a good fit for first international trips, solo travellers and anyone short on planning time. If you want to compare options, our explore the world and explore India pages show where we travel.

When you are ready, open the group tours page, apply a couple of filters, and see what is leaving next.