There are many different ways to get around while travelling. You could choose to travel independently and arrange everything yourself, or you could book onto an organised tour and have everything arranged for you. Personally, I love organised tours as they are a great way to make friends and see lots of different places in a short amount of time. Plus, you have a knowledgeable tour guide on hand to help make the most out of your trip. But if you’ve never been on one before, you may wonder how it all works. This post answers all of your frequently asked questions and explains what to expect on an organised backpacker tour.
What is an organised tour?
An organised tour is a packaged trip which takes you to multiple locations and usually includes transport, accommodation and a tour guide. Once it is booked, you can sit back, relax and allow someone else to take care of where you go and what you do. There are many different styles of organised tour ranging from high end luxury to basic backpacking. Some more expensive tours will have private chefs and individual accommodation to cater to your every need. They might even have fewer people on each tour for a truly personalised experience. Whereas organised backpacker tours are aimed at those on a budget. They usually involve basic accommodation such as camping or hostels and often require everyone in the group to help with chores to keep costs low. Here at The Practical Passport we are all about travelling on a budget, so this post will focus on what to expect on an organised backpacker tour.
How to book an organised backpacker tour?
Organised backpacker tours can be booked online or through a travel agent. However, most UK high street travel agents focus on family, all-inclusive or high-end holidays and less so on budget backpacking. When I booked my first organised tour I did it through a student backpacking travel agents called STA Travel. Sadly, since the pandemic that company no longer exists and now there are very few travel agents which focus on gap years and backpacking. I personally would recommend just booking an organised backpacker tour directly with the tour company and cut out the middleman.
There are numerous companies which can offer budget tours. I personally have travelled with G Adventures can really recommend them. But there are also lots of other companies available which offer similar trips*.
(*Please note, that I have not used all of these companies personally, therefore do your own research before booking to decide which is the right company for you.)
What is included in the price of an organised tour?
What is included when you book an organised backpacker tour can vary depending on factors such as the price, destination, company and specific tour. Therefore, it’s impossible to state exactly what will be included. However, generally you should expect to have your transport and accommodation included as well as a tour guide and/or driver. There may be some instances where you might have to pay extra for some transport or accommodation such as if you are mainly camping but are passing through a city where camping is not available, or if there is a section of your journey with unusual transport such as a ferry crossing. Quite often there will be some meals and activities also included in the price.
Before booking any trip, it should state what is and isn’t included in the price. It should tell you what type of transport is included, how many nights’ accommodation you will have and what meals you may or may not have to pay for. It should also list any included activities and any activities which are subject to an additional fee.
What additional costs should I budget for?
The beauty of an organised tour is that it is booked and paid for in advance, making budgeting for your trip a lot easier. Details of what is and isn’t included should be stated on the company’s website or on the tour information sent to you after you book. The tour company will often give you a rough idea of how much any additional things will cost. For example, any meals or optional activities. Some of the paid activities can also be booked in advance, which will mean that you don’t have to take as much money away with you and it makes it easier to budget.
Flights to and from your home country to the starting destination will not be included, so this will be the biggest extra expense. You also need to factor in the cost of any accommodation pre and post tour, as well as all the usual travel costs such as visas, airport parking, transfers, and travel insurance.
You will also need spending money for any little extras such as snacks and souvenirs. The tour details sometimes contains information on local costs. If it doesn’t, then check out Numbeo for rough costs of everyday items in different countries around the world.
Who will I be travelling with?
There may be only a handful or people on your tour, or there could be up to 20-30 people. It really depends on the particular tour you book onto, but it should state the maximum number of people on the tour description when you book. Some tours will be aimed at young people, some at families and some for any age, so there could be a variety of people you might be travelling with. If you are young and want to stick with people your own age, then many companies offer 18-30’s tours which cater for the younger generation.
What staff will be on hand on an organised backpacker tour?
Every organised tour will have a tour guide who travels with you and your group. The same guide might stay with you for the entire duration or there may be a change in guide halfway around. Sometimes the guide will also be the driver and sometimes there may be a separate driver. Depending on the type of tour, there may also be additional staff such as a cook, but this is less likely on a budget tour.
All staff will be on hand 24/7 to help you with any situation. Even in the instances where you are left alone to explore a city or go on a hike, the guide will ensure you have their telephone number in case you have any issues.
How will I get around when I book onto an organised tour?
The organised tours I have been on have involved travelling the whole journey in a private bus with the rest of the group. However, there are many tours which rely on multiple transport options to get around. This could be trains, planes, public buses and ferries. Again, this should be stated in the tour information before you book.
The facilities on board can also vary. You may have vehicles which have all of the usual mod cons such as Wi-Fi, charging ports, air conditioning, drinking water and even toilets. But there are some which will be very basic and just be a minibus with little legroom. All the information about the vehicles you will be travelling in is usually sent to you in advance so that you can be prepared and know what things you might need to pack. For example, will you need a USB cable to charge your phone in the vehicle?
One thing to note is that rural travel by land can often mean limited toilet stops. Most buses won’t have toilets on board and so you will only be able to relieve yourself every few hours when the driver makes a stop. Even then, the toilet facilities can range from a western style service station with all the usual amenities, to a hole in the ground toilet or sometimes just peeing on the side of the road (which is what happened a lot when I was travelling around Southern Africa). This can be an issue, especially for women or those with sensitive stomachs or bladder issues who might need to toilet more frequently. So, think about this factor before booking an organised tour. But if you are desperate for the toilet, don’t be afraid to ask the driver or guide and they will made an additional stop.
Where will I stay?
Accommodation options will vary depending on the cost of the tour and the type of places you will be visiting. In a city you can expect to be staying in a hostel or hotel, whereas more rural tours might involve camping or cabins. Some tours may involve several different accommodation options. For example, when I travelled around North America we mainly camped. But when we reached the cities, we had to stay in hostels are there was nowhere to pitch a tent.
Accommodation facilities can vary greatly. Most of the time there should be access to clean running water, electricity, Wi-fi, bathrooms and a kitchen. But occasionally this might not be the case. When I travelled around Southern Africa, we stayed at lovely campsites which had cooking, showering and laundry facilities and often even a pool. But we had one-night wild camping in the Okavango Delta where there was absolutely nothing. No water, no electricity, and just a hole in the ground for a toilet.
Do I have to share a room with other people?
Normally on budget organised tours you will be paired up with another person to share a room or tent with. This is one way they keep costs low. If you are travelling with a partner or friend, then you will be paired up with them. If you are travelling solo, then you will share with a stranger. If you don’t want to share with anyone and would prefer your own privacy, then you can often pay a supplement to get your own room. Any shared accommodation should be with someone of the same gender.
Will food be included and do I have to cook?
Many travellers often want to understand what to expect on an organised backpacker tour with regards to mealtimes and whether food will be provided. Different tours will offer different meal options. Some will include all food, and some will only include selected meals. There may also be tours where no food is provided at all. The tour information should state what meals will be included in the price so that you are aware before you book.
When meals are included, you may be required to help prepare and cook them as a group. I went on a tour where we were put into teams and cooked for the camp on a rota system. When one team was cooking that night, the other was washing up. Whichever team was on cooking duties also had to plan the meals and go to the supermarket to buy groceries. However, on another trip I took, meals were included but the grocery shopping and cooking was done by the tour guide, and we just helped occasionally with the preparation.
If meals are not included, then you will be advised what days you need to shop for yourselves and what days you may be eating out with the group. Tour guides should also do regular supermarket stops to ensure that everyone in the group can buy whatever they need for their meals and for the long journeys.
When do I have to arrive?
You can choose to arrive at the start destination any time before the departure time of the tour. Most people usually book a few days either side of the tour to get over the jetlag and to familiarize themselves with the area. Usually, tours will start and end in a major city, but exploring these cities is often not on the itinerary, so if you want to explore the city more, then make sure you arrive a few days beforehand.
What happens on the first day of an organised backpacker tour?
It’s understandable to be apprehensive and not know what to expect on the first day of an organised backpacker tour. Everyone will be in the same position, which is why tour guides arrange a welcome meeting to explain what will be happening on the tour and for you to meet the guide and other travellers.
The welcome meeting will either be on the morning of departure or the night before. You should get the specific meeting time and location after you book your tour. The tour guide will lead the meeting and introduce themselves and any other staff members. They will often then invite each member of the group to give some basic information about themselves such as name, where they are from and perhaps their job. This can feel a bit daunting to anyone who doesn’t like public speaking or being centre of attention, but it is a great way to start getting to know your fellow travellers. Don’t panic too much about remembering everyone’s names at the start, as there could be over 20 strangers you have to get to know. But rest assured that by the end of your trip you will not only know everyone’s names, but you will be firm friends.
The guides will also go through some housekeeping with you and check that everyone has what they need for the trip. They will go over the planned itinerary, what money you may need, what facilities are on board your transport and what kind of accommodation you will be staying in. If anyone has forgotten anything or needs any assistance, the tour guide will help you out. You will then depart onwards to your first stop and start your adventure.
What will a normal day look like on an organised backpacker tour?
There is no such thing as a normal day on an organised tour. One day you might have free time exploring a new city, the other you might have to spend 12 hours travelling on a cramped bus, it really can vary. Usually at the start of the trip the tour guide should go over the rough itinerary and explain what the plan is so that you are aware in advance. Then every evening, the guide will let you know exactly what you will be doing the following day, what you need to prepare and what time you will be leaving in the morning.
Here’s a rough overview of the type of things you could be doing on a normal day:
- Travelling from one destination to another – This could be by land, sea or air. It might be just a few hours travelling or it could take all day.
- Being given free time to explore – There are days when you will have all day to do what you want. This could be sightseeing in a new city, hiking in a national park, or do some shopping. Tour guides will give you tourist advice and advise what things to do if you are unsure when you get to a new destination.
- Undertaking an activity – There will be lots of included or optional activities available when you book an organised tour. Some days you might be partaking in one of these. This could be bungee jumping, wine tasting, sandboarding or dozens of other cool activities. Some of these activities could be undertaken as a group or solo.
- Group excursions – Many days will be spent together as a group. You might all go for a hike together or go to a theme park or go on safari.
- Downtime – There will be days when you will be given a few hours to decompress after a long journey and just to relax at your accommodation. In this time, you might want to phone home, do laundry or just chat to your travel companions.
- Nights out – Some tours will involve nights out as a group, partying the night away until the early hours of the morning or going for a delicious meal.
- Group chores – Some parts of the day might involve doing chores with your fellow travellers. This could be cooking for the group, cleaning out the bus, washing up, helping load up the van or food shopping. Some organised tours expect the group to help out, while others have staff who deal with all of this.
Will my tour itinerary change?
All itineraries are a rough plan and can be subject to change. Factors such as extreme weather, conflicts and road closures can all affect the tour route. When I booked an organised tour to the USA, we were supposed to travel clockwise around the country starting in New York. But when we arrived, a hurricane had hit the South of the country and so we headed North instead and ended up doing the whole itinerary in reverse.
There are also little extras which you may experience which aren’t part of the set itinerary. For example, one of our tour guides had parents who owned a vineyard, and he had arranged a private party at their vineyard as a surprise. Yes, it wasn’t on the itinerary, but it was such a memorable part of our trip, and we were so fortunate we got to have that experience.
How long will the travel days be?
Travel days can be long. I have personally experienced up to 12 hours on the road in a day while I was on an organised backpacker tour. It really depends on the size of the country or area you are travelling around. When I was on a tour in the USA, there were so many days where we had to travel long distances between destinations just because of the sheer size of the country. But if you are doing a tour around smaller countries then the travel times will probably be a lot less.
There may also be times when you have to get internal flights. If this is the case, then you will not only have the flight time to think about but also the check-in and luggage collection times on top as well.
What can the tour guide help me with on an organised tour?
Your tour guide is your travel guru and can help you will all sorts, from tourist information to health and safety issues. Here is just a brief overview of the type of things your guide could assist you with when you are away.
- Tourist information – The guides are so knowledgeable on the local area and will be able to help you get around a new destination and tell you where all the major tourist attractions are.
- Interpreter – Need help with the local language, then your guide can give you some brief phrases to help you get by or can converse with the locals on your behalf.
- Guide – Their job is a tour guide and so they will often be guiding you around new destinations and giving interesting and historical information and statistics on many of the places you visit.
- Recommendations – From restaurant recommendations to best places to watch the sunset, your tour guide can give you their local knowledge on all the best places to go.
- First aid – All guides or drivers will be first aid trained and will be on hand to help if you get sick or injured.
- Currency exchange – If you are struggling to understand the local currency or are not sure where is the best place to exchange money, then the guide can help with this. They will usually ensure at the start of the trip that everyone has enough money for the journey and will happily take people to banks or a bureau de change to allow them to get any foreign currency needed.
- Emergency situations – Tour guides are used to dealing with all sorts and will be there for you in a crisis. Anything from someone being ill, to being attacked, to having belongings stolen, they can assist with anything.
- Having fun – It takes a certain type of person to be a tour guide. You will often find that guides are just the funnest people and always up for a laugh. Their main job is to ensure that you have a great time and make lots of friends and great memories.
- Local knowledge – Want to know more about the local culture, then just ask. You can find out more about the area you are travelling in or local customs or just hear stories about their childhood to get a more realistic view of what that country is really like.
- Getting you where you need to go – One of the main jobs of a tour guide is to get you to where you need to be. Whether that’s getting you around a country safely or making sure the whole group catches their train on time.
- Answering questions – Ask your guide anything and they will answer. Curious which football team they support or how long they have been a tour guide, or which other countries they recommend to travel on a budget. They are a fountain of knowledge and will be only too happy to answer any questions you may have.
- Document issues – Lost your passport or don’t have the correct visa? Don’t worry, the guides are trained to know what to do in this situation. From helping to get you the correct documents, to driving you to the local embassy. I have even seen guides bribe government officials to ensure that the whole group can cross the border without issue.
Will I make friends on an organised backpacker tour?
Absolutely! I think an organised backpacker tour is one of the best ways to meet people and make friends while travelling, especially if you are travelling alone. All living the same shared experience will give you something in common and you can easily chat about the next destination or the activity you all just did. And being forced to spend so much time together on long journeys, there is nothing else to do but chat to your fellow travellers and get to know them better. The tour guide will also probably facilitate some activities in the beginning to help everyone get better acquainted and have fun.
If you’re not sure what to chat to your fellow travellers about, then we have a great post with 10 conversation starters to help you strike up a conversation and make friends while travelling.
Will I get any time to myself?
Time to yourself on an organised tour can be limited. You will travel together, go on daytrips together and sleep and eat together. So, a large portion of the trip will be spent with a lot, if not all, of the group. That being said, the tour guides will ensure there are times when you get to have time to yourself and do what you want. There will be free days when you can go and sightsee at a new destination, go for a hike or undertake an activity. This is when you can decide if you would like to go with other people from your group, or whether you would like to just have some time by yourself.
There will also be lots of free time when you get to your accommodation where the guide will allow you some time to do what you want. You can fill this time with catching up on laundry or phoning a loved one or just taking some time alone to read a book. Even though organised tours are designed to be a social experience, everyone on the tour is in the same boat, so no one will be mad at you if you just want to take a few hours by yourself. It can get a bit much spending every waking second with dozens of other people, and the longer the tour, the more time you should put aside for yourself to avoid getting social fatigue.
What happens at the end of the tour?
The end of the tour is the hardest part. You have to say goodbye to all of your new friends and go back to reality (and probably work, ergh). Normally the tour ends on the morning of the final day. You arrive at your departure destination the night before and usually have a final meal together. The tour guide will often do a speech, and you can take final photos together.
It is customary to tip your tour guide, driver and any other staff, so the final night is the easiest time to do it. Some people can feel embarrassed by how much or little they might tip, so one way to avoid this is for one person to take charge of the tipping and to just send an envelope around to the group a few days before the end of the tour. Then, on the final night one member of the group can present it to the guide and other staff and state it is from everyone.
On the final morning you are free to depart whenever you want, although you may decide to all have breakfast together before you go. The tour company might also ask for feedback and give you feedback forms and they may ask for any assistance emptying the bus of belongings before departing. It is important to ensure that you haven’t left any of your belongings.
On the tour information, it should state what is the earliest you can book your flight home for. Pay attention to this as the last thing you want to do after ending the tour is be panicked trying to rush to the airport. Personally, I would always recommend staying one more day to relax and have time to yourself before you have to integrate yourself back into normal life again.
Now you should have a much clearer idea of what to expect on an organised backpacker tour. They really are a wonderful way to see the world and make friends, especially for solo or novice travellers. However, if after reading this you still have some questions, then make sure to reach out to the tour company you will be travelling with and they will be more than happy to answer any questions about the specifics of the tour so that you know exactly what to expect before you book.
