There are two different ways you can travel while backpacking. You can either plan everything yourself and just see where the journey takes you or you could join a tour and have everything arranged for you. Both are viable options but offer completely different experiences. Here are the pros and cons of independent travel vs organised tours to help you decide which one is best for you.
Independent travel
What is independent travel?
Independent travel is getting around a country by yourself with nothing prearranged by anyone else. That means that you will be deciding where to go and when, what to see and where to stay. You will have to arrange all your own accommodation, transport, food and activities and make every decision yourself. Independent travel doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to travel solo, but it means that you arrange everything for yourself.
Pros of independent travel
- There is more flexibility – You are in charge of your own adventure. You can chose when and where you go and for how long. If you get somewhere and don’t like it, you can just leave. Likewise, if you had only planned to stay somewhere for one night but absolutely love it, then you can just stay longer. Everything is up to you.
- It builds confidence and character – Learning to deal with everything yourself can be daunting at first, but overcoming challenges and working out how to get around while travelling can make you a more confident, independent person. Once you have travelled independently, every other challenge life throws at you can seem relatively easy in comparison.
- It’s often cheaper – Organising everything yourself, means that you can shop around for the best deals. You can also arrange your itinerary to coincide with cheaper seasons or destinations and avoid travelling to certain places when it is most expensive. You are also not having to pay a guide or travel agent to arrange everything, so this reduces the overall cost as well.
- Everything is your choice – From where you stay to what you eat, everything is up to you. Fancy saving your money and staying in cheap accommodation but splurging on a Michelin star restaurant then the choice is yours. You are not restricted to what someone else has chosen for you.
Cons of independent travel
- Booking everything yourself can be stressful – Being in charge of everything means that you can never fully relax. You are always thinking about how you will get to your next destination, or where you may be staying. You have to organise everything on the go and have to deal with trying to book things in different currencies and a foreign language.
- There is no one to turn to if something goes wrong – When disaster strikes, it is nice to have someone to help you out, especially when you are in a foreign country. But travelling independently often means that you have to sort everything out for yourself, even when times get tough. That’s not to say that you won’t have any protection if a flight gets cancelled or your accommodation gets flooded, as travel insurance rules and local holiday protection laws still apply. It just means that there won’t be a professional around that you can turn to who is an expert in fixing these issues.
- It can get lonely – Although independent travel does not necessarily mean solo travel, if you are travelling by yourself it can get lonely as you don’t have other people around you like you would on an organised tour. (Worried about making friends when away? Then check out 20 tips for making friends while travelling)
- There is more research involved – You will spend a lot more time researching destinations, accommodation and things to do, when you book everything yourself. There are times when you may be spontaneous and just rock up to an unknown destination and stay in the first place you see, but a lot of the time you will be researching to find the best places and best deals which can be time consuming.
When is independent travel the best option?
- Want a real backpacker experience
- Want to save money
- When travelling for a longer period
- When you want more flexibility
- If you are also going to be working or volunteering then you can stop when you want if you find work, or can change your plan last minute if you can’t find work
- Don’t like the thought of not being in control
Organised tour
What is an organised tour?
An organised tour is a prepackaged tour which you book in advance. They usually include all accommodation, transport and food and there will be a guide for the whole trip. Some may also include activities in the price of the tour. These tours can range from budget backpacker tours which come with basic accommodation and everyone mucks in with the chores, to luxury tours with private high end accommodation and a range of staff to care for you.
Pros of an organised tour
- Everything is arranged for you – The biggest perk of travelling using an organised tour, is that everything is arranged for you. Once you join the tour, you can just sit back and relax knowing that your itinerary is planned, your accommodation is booked and your dinner is sorted. No need to spend ages researching what to do next or panicking because you can’t find somewhere to stay for the night.
- There is a professional guide – Travelling with a tour means you get your own professional guide. These incredible people plan your itinerary, organise everything for you, can assist in an emergency, give tourist advice and can help you overcome language barriers and understand local customs. They are basically your backpacking guru.
- It is easy to make friends – It can be daunting at first to suddenly be stuck on a bus with a load of people you don’t know, but this is the magic of a tour group. All this time together means you will quickly make friends as you are spending so much time together. You can make memories together, cook together and often share a room or tent together.
- Easier to budget – Once you have booked and paid for your tour, you pretty much don’t need to pay for much else while you are away. If your tour includes all transport, accommodation and food, then there is not much more you need to pay for. The only thing to budget for is activities and you will often know how much these cost prior to booking, making it is easier to work out how much money to take with you. Sometimes you can even prebook all these activities as well or sometimes activities will be included in the price of the tour.
- It is safer – Travelling as a large group and with a local guide is a lot safer than travelling independently. There is safety in numbers and the guide will tell you which areas to avoid when you get to a new destination. If anything does go wrong, then there is a guide to help you out.
- Get immersed in the culture – By travelling with a local guide they can help you to become immersed in local life. As well as giving usual tourist advice, they will often take you to places only the locals are aware of. They may cook local delicacies, introduce you to their friends or family, and get you involved in traditional songs or dances.
Cons of an organised tour
- Can be expensive – Having everything packaged up and arranged for you comes at a price. Organised tours will often work out more expensive than booking it all yourself as you are paying for the convenience and the expert experience of a tour guide and other staff such as a driver or cook.
- The itinerary is fixed – There is very little flexibility when you book onto a tour. They have a tight schedule to stick to, so you have to go where they say, when they say.
- You might have to do chores – The more budget tours save money by not hiring cooks or cleaners. Instead, everyone on the tour pitches in to help cook food, wash up and maintain the cleanliness of the van. This can actually be pretty fun to do and it helps you get to know your fellow travel companions, but some people may not enjoy this and instead want to be taken care of.
- Long travel days – There is no slow travel when it comes to an organised tour. They often have a large area to cover in a short amount time to get to the next destination. This can mean long days of up to 12 hours on the road just stuck in a cramped van sometimes without a toilet or air conditioning.
- Very little choice over anything – The beauty of an organised tour is that everything is arranged for you but this leaves you with little choice over what you do, where you go and where you stay. You may not like the accommodation they choose for you or the activity that they have planned, but unfortunately you just have to go with it.
- It’s pretty full on – Organised tours often pack lots of things into a short space of time. They travel to multiple destinations quickly, with often only a short stay in each place. When you get to a new place you might have to set up camp, cook for the group or do prearranged activities, all of which leaves you will little down time. These types of tours are great at seeing and doing the maximum number of things in a short space of time but they are definitely not relaxing.
When is an organised tour the best option?
- Limited time
- First time traveller
- Multiple destinations, unsafe countries or difficult countries to travel e.g. language barrier/not much infrastructure
- Want to make friends
- Want less stress and more relaxing
How can I book an organised tour?
There are many different tour companies to choose from and it will depend on your travel style, destination and budget as to which one suits you. I personally had a great experience with G Adventures doing a tour in Southern Africa a few years ago. I have also previously used Trek America for a 64 day tour around the USA and Canada. Sadly, though Trek America closed down after the pandemic.
Below is a list of various companies which offer budget backpacker tours. I have not personally tried all of these companies, so cannot comment on which one is best, so I advise doing your own research to find out which one is the most suitable for you.
Independent travel vs organised tour: Which is the best option?
As you will see there are pros and cons to both options. What you choose is entirely up to you and what type of trip you want. If you are travelling for a long time and maybe want to work in between, then booking everything yourself might be the cheapest and best option. Whereas if you only have a few weeks or months to travel and want to see the maximum amount in the shortest possible time, then an organised tour can be great for this. Likewise, if you are travelling solo or this is your first big trip abroad then you might want the ease and safety of an organised tour. Whichever you choose will be a great option and you will have lots of fun, or you could just do a little of both all in one big adventure and have the best of both worlds.
