Group Tours Are Making a Comeback — Here's How to Find Ones That Are Actually Fun

These days, small-group tours organized around shared interests are attracting an enthusiastic crowd.

Grace Guerra is a self-described extrovert, but even she wasn’t quite sure about going on vacation with a bunch of people she didn’t know. “There’s always a bit of nerves,” says the Oceanside, California–based marketing manager. Guerra had signed up for a small-group glamping adventure in Moab, Utah, organized by Cherish Tours. She was intrigued by destinations such as Arches National Park, of course, but also the emphasis Cherish puts on introducing visitors to female-owned businesses and creating opportunities for women to connect in an open, supportive environment.

“Getting to do this with other women was a big incentive for me, as was meeting new people who are choosing to invest in these kinds of adventures,” says Guerra, who shared her safari-style tent with an assigned roommate. The trip was so much fun that she took a second one with Cherish, to Costa Rica, just five months later.

While Cherish Tours focuses on women-only trips, it’s one of a growing cohort offering departures organized around affinity groups and special interests. Consider the Table Less Traveled, which launched its food-focused trips in 2015 to “fast-track relationships for people who wanted to explore deeper,” in the words of founder Annie Sim.

Her forays to Italy, Japan, Peru, and beyond focus on cultural experiences — visiting an off-the-beaten-path family farm or enjoying an intimate dinner in someone’s city apartment — that wouldn’t be feasible as a larger group. Lately, Sim says, she’s seen a spike in interest, and as a result is tripling the number of itineraries on offer in 2024.

Other operators are seeing a similar surge in interest. “Shared experiences foster a profound sense of belonging and togetherness, bonding a group by becoming part of their shared narrative,” says Tom Marchant, the co-founder of Black Tomato, in a statement. Inquiries for small-group tours is now up 35 percent compared to 2019, he adds.

Backroads, a tour operator that’s been around since 1979, has just launched a series of women-only itineraries open to small groups. “Our research shows a recent steady uptick of female guests booking private trips,” a company spokesperson says, “so we created this new segment to help satisfy this demand.” The first batch of itineraries will focus on walking and hiking trips, with cycling trips to be announced.

Some travelers are keen to forge connections over shared passions. Expedition specialist Nomadic Road gets strangers bonding by leading mini-convoys of 4 x 4 vehicles through remote parts of Bolivia, Madagascar, and Mongolia, among other destinations. Founder Venky Sugavanam connects by phone with would-be drivers to ensure they’re up for the challenge before confirming each booking.

For travelers hoping to learn Spanish, Fluenz offers week-long immersions in places such as Colombia, Mexico, and Spain. In addition to time spent in focused lessons, guests also enjoy boutique hotel accommodations, meals at top restaurants, and artisan-led tours. From solo learners to couples to sibling pairs, the small group environment encourages conversation — and an organic way to practice new language skills.

Even companies better known for private travel have launched small-group itineraries, often because their clients are looking for a more social experience. Mark Thornton Safaris, for example, just organized its second-ever group tour in October. The eight-person voyage, which the company says sold out in one day, involved walking through the Serengeti, in the midst of the Great Migration, with stays at mobile camps.

Another firm, Naya Traveler, has also seen strong demand for its newly relaunched small-group departures. First up will be a journey through Morocco next October for up to 10 guests, with stops in Fez, Marrakesh, and the Sahara.

For some travelers, the decision to sign on comes not only from their own specific interest but also the desire to just get going. Pam Czekanski, who works in investment management in Boston, often travels with friends and family, but she had doubts about convincing anyone to join her on a wish-list trip to New Zealand.

“I said, ‘Now is the time; I’m not waiting any longer.’ ” She booked a tour with Active Adventures that saw her joining a group of six other travelers and two guides to hike and bike across New Zealand’s South Island. “It was,” Czekanski recalls, “above and beyond.”

A version of this story first appeared in the November 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Group Tours Get a Glow-up."

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