Forget everything you know about tour groups

The most misunderstood sector of the travel industry must surely be the escorted tour. It often conjures images of camera-toting, fanny pack-wearing, gray-haired tourists being herded on and off buses to the shrill instructions of a tour guide waving a flag. “It isn’t authentic travel!” scream the naysayers. But there has been a distinct shift in the landscape of late, and tour-group travel is undergoing a major transformation.

In response to a growing preference for tailored itineraries, local insider access and sustainable travel, boutique operators now offer seasonal itineraries – catering to smaller group sizes – with exclusive access to unique sites for the discerning traveler. Among them is Prior Knowledge, which is gearing up to lead “dreamlike” expeditions to India in early 2018. Highlights include an after-hours, private tour of Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, as well as the opportunity to view collections usually off-limits to the public.

The VIP access also extends to the more established businesses. Trafalgar Tours, for instance, takes guests to the Vatican’s Bramante staircase. Built in 1505, this unique, double-helix staircase is usually out of bounds for visitors. Meanwhile, luxury tour operator Insight Vacations arranges entry into the Sistine Chapel before the general public is allowed inside. Anyone who has experienced the regular sweaty, claustrophic human crush to see Michelangelo’s handiwork will attest that it’s no way to appreciate the artistry of an Old Master. And as someone who has been through both options, I found Insight’s tour overwhelmingly preferable, as it allowed me the time and, more importantly, the space to enjoy the frescoes.

A guided holiday also often allows you to skip the queues at major attractions. Time is a precious commodity, and the hours spent standing in line could be put to better use on vacation – like getting gloriously lost in the labyrinthine canals of Venice or enjoying your third halo halo of the day at a streetside café in Manila.

In terms of the exhaustive research and logistics that go into planning a trip, these are taken care of, too. A tour operator’s depth of knowledge can prevent the inevitable headaches caused by booking inadequate transport or accommodation (“But it looked great on the website!”). They can also negotiate group discounts, which may make it cheaper to join an escorted tour than trying to replicate the experience on your own. And should anything go wrong along the way, tour operators have connections on the ground that can navigate everything from lost luggage to natural disasters.

For those seeking interactions with local people, via local activities, companies such as Intrepid Travel provide the opportunity to share a meal with Buddhist monks in a monastery in South Korea, or have a homestay with villagers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Even if you found yourself in a similar scenario by happy accident while traveling solo, chances are you wouldn’t speak the same language or have a local guide on hand to translate. Furthermore, Intrepid’s “small group, big adventure” ethos is underpinned by the pillars of responsible travel, and all of their tours are carbon offset – it doesn’t get much more sustainable than that.

But one of my favorite reasons to join an escorted tour is the tapas-style taster it offers of a place – it allows you to sample each destination, so you know which places you’d like to return to for a second helping. Top that off with the built-in camaraderie with fellow travelers, who so often become friends along the way, and you’ve got yourself a vacation to remember.