9 Senior-Friendly Travel Groups and Tips to Ensure Best Travel Experience

Whether taking a relaxing weekend getaway or a month-long trip to your favorite destination, traveling is an exciting and refreshing experience. And if you have the time and travel budget, there are endless opportunities. You could also join a senior travel group to make the best of your travel experience. This allows you to travel around the world with individuals with similar interests. Moreover, certain travel groups offer services specifically to seniors or retirees.

Best senior-friendly travel groups of 2023

The interests of seniors might be diverse. However, the majority of senior citizens want to take a trip. These travels could have various objectives like discovering a new place, visiting the country of the ancestors, and so on. So, here are a few senior-friendly travel groups you should look out for an amazing travel experience in 2023.

Adventures Abroad

As a travel company, Adventures Abroad offers trips to every continent. You have 6 different types of trips to choose from and not worry about the size of the travel group. This travel group usually has a maximum capacity of 18 people for their specialized tours. But when catering to senior-specific tours, you may notice a lower cap on the number of participants. Furthermore, Adventures Abroad have “ soft adventure” trips ensuring safe traveling for participants aged 50 and above where you do not have to go through any strenuous activities. These trips are usually focused on the history and culture of the destination. The Adventures Abroad trips are generally rated on the scale of 1 to 4 based on the physical activity. The first level only requires leisurely walking, while the fourth level trips may include walks and hikes on uneven surfaces for three to seven hours. The trips are planned with specific activities suggested according to your activity level.

Road Scholar

This travel company was founded in 1975 and has always emphasized lifelong learning and educational tours for senior citizens. Road Scholar now offers multiple study tours throughout the country, Canada, and more than a hundred countries worldwide. All these senior-focused group travels include lectures by expert Road Scholar faculty and guidance relevant to the destination. Furthermore, some senior-friendly group programs are theme based and include philosophy, arts, religion, and even nature studies. Moreover, Road Scholar offers its senior travel groups the “Choose your pace” feature, which allows you to choose the tour length, pace, and challenge, according to your convenience. This includes activity levels beginning from “easy going” to “challenging”, where the latter can include strenuous activities like kayaking and hiking.

Globus

A trusted guided tour specialist, Globus has been in the industry for more than 90 years. Today, it ranks among the best travel group companies for seniors. One of the most important factors that have helped them reach this position includes recognizing that the one size fits all tours are not for everyone. So, now you can choose between different touring types and create a personalized match between destinations and like-minded travelers. Furthermore, senior groups that travel together can choose a variety of activities at each destination through the “choice Touring” format. This enables you to find the right adventure at your convenience and enjoy your traveling experience to the fullest.

Smithsonian Journeys

A branch of the Smithsonian Institution founded 175 years ago, Smithsonian Journeys has been offering planned trips to their participants for more than 50 years. Although this travel company offers a plethora of travel experiences across many age groups, its primary participants are seniors aged 55 and above. Furthermore, the typical age group for active tours is 47 to 70 and 55 to 80 for specialized tours. One of the best tour companies for seniors, Smithsonian Journeys has 5 activity level ratings ranging from easy ( includes short travel days and walking) to challenging, which offers activities such as hiking. These group travels focused on seniors provide culturally immersive experiences. So, you can visit local homes and encounter demonstrations of local cuisines and crafts. In addition to the above, the company also offers specialized interest tours for seniors that travel in groups. These include cave art exploration, study tours at Oxford, and many more. These can be chosen according to your needs, interests, and conveniences.

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel is one of the best adventure tour companies offering tailor-made active trips specifically for senior groups. These trips include multiple travelers in the 50+ age category. These active trips may include walking, trekking, cycling, and other multi-activity adventures. In most cases, these senior-friendly trips have an average of 10 participants per tour, enabling the company to offer you experiences that are off the beaten path. You can also choose your travel experience from the different tour styles. These include “Basix” for youngsters and “Comfort” with specialized group travel itineraries for seniors. Although these travel experiences are extremely senior-friendly, you may require a general health and fitness level to ensure optimum safety.

Firebird Tours

Firebird Tours, a Florida-based travel company caters to travelers aged 50 and above. This company plans senior-friendly and small-group tours to a myriad of destinations across the country and the world. This includes Asia, Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, North America, and Morocco. The travel itinerary of their tours is designed to provide seniors with comfort, quality, and value and also cater to groups that come as families. You can also choose the theme for the trip and skim through themes such as history, gastronomy, architecture, theater, and many more to match your interests. In the case of private family tours, you can choose destinations and activities suitable for your family and convenience.

Overseas Adventure Travel ( O.A.T)

This travel company is based in Boston, Massachusetts. It specializes in trips catering to travelers aged 50 and above. These senior-friendly travels have a smaller group size and offer various destinations across every continent. Moreover, this travel company supports the needs of senior groups in plenty of ways. So, if you are a senior traveling with them, you can choose between multiple destinations and adventures for two weeks or longer. Furthermore, as a senior, you can opt for activities according to your comfort level using O.A.T’s Activity level rating system. According to the system, 1 stands for easy trips and 5 for strenuous journeys. Additionally, if you wish to extend the travel duration, you can opt for pre-trip and post-trip excursions according to your convenience.

Backroads

A specialist in guided tours, Backroads specializes in creating varied travel experiences through active vacations. They have mentioned on their website that they cater to travelers of all ages. However, most of the participants in the tours are over 50. Some of the activities included in their itineraries are cycling and hiking. If you believe in pursuing the great outdoors, you can choose between the offerings ranging from active to easygoing – which has a lot of flexible offerings, making Backroads one of the best travel companies for seniors. In cases where you wish to relax and experience the destination on your terms, you can also opt for the Dolce Tempo tours which have stylish comfort, authenticity, and relaxation as the primary motive.

Trafalgar Tours

One of the best travel companies for senior bus tours, Trafalgar Tours has been in the travel industry for 100 years. It offers senior travelers a variety of travel styles and destinations. This may often include river cruising, guided tours, private tours, safaris, and even adventure travel. During these tours, you may be accompanied by a travel director who will coordinate with the local tour guides every step of the way. Furthermore, as a part of the “ Be My Guest” experience, you can pay local visits to farms, homes, and restaurants to experience the destination in all its splendor. In case you wish to stay longer at the opted destinations, you can choose “At Leisure” trips that are known for their relaxed pace, late starts in the mornings, and longer stays at each accommodation.

6 factors and tips to consider for best travel experience

These travel companies mentioned above ensure safe travel experiences during their tours. However, considering certain factors and tips can help you guarantee an unforgettable travel experience.

Destinations

Each travel company has its list of destinations that you can choose from. Some may specialize in senior-friendly domestic travel, while others can have destinations encompassing both domestic and international travel. This can include countries across different continents, such as Asia, Africa, and Australia. Moreover, some companies may have a special emphasis on certain destinations across Europe, polar regions, and even South Pacific destinations. In the case of domestic travel, you can expect destinations encompassing North America and states in the country, which can be chosen according to your convenience.

Group size

In most cases, the group size can differ according to the travel company, itineraries, and plans. However, on average, you can expect a minimum of 10 travelers for small-sized tours and 200+ travelers for large-sized ones. In the case of cruise ships, and river boats, the passenger limit can go as high as 930 passengers onboard. So, when choosing the right travel group, you must pay attention to the cap on the number of travelers to make an informed decision.

Prices

Quite similar to the size of the group, the prices of senior-friendly tours arranged by multiple travel companies can differ from one group to another. Furthermore, the prices may also depend on factors such as days of travel and location. You may also find a further increase in the prices according to the inclusions and comfort level you choose. On average, these prices can range from $1,616 to $5,000 for a domestic trip. In the case of international travel for seniors, the prices can range anywhere between $5,486 to $13,554 before airfare for international tours. However, various travel companies also offer discounts to seniors and senior groups that travel together. You can also join the American Association of Retired Persons ( AARP) to avail of various travel discounts. This can include reductions in hotel prices, car rentals, and much more.

Inclusions

In most cases, when you choose the tour according to your convenience, the tour company offers you the necessary accommodations, meals, airport transfers on the required dates, and admission to sites to be visited on tour. However, these inclusions can vary from one travel company to another. For instance, if you choose a premium tour, you can expect a few additions, such as breakfast or other meals, tips, and local experiences. Furthermore, you can expect shore excursions and entertainment as part of the package if you are considering a cruise. Therefore, it is advised that you carefully examine the inclusions of any specific tour package of your choice before purchasing it, so that you can make an informed choice that suits your needs and convenience.

Non-inclusions

Even when you pay the required sum to guarantee your comfort and safety while traveling, you can incur a few out-of-pocket expenses. You can anticipate certain additional expenses throughout the trip, such as tips for the bus tour drivers and local guides as well as the cost of meals like breakfast or lunch (where applicable).

Senior-friendly tours

Usually, most travel companies cater to adult travelers of all ages. However, some may have a special focus on seniors and even single seniors traveling in groups. Furthermore, to ensure the best travel experience, the company can have senior-focused escorted tours and bus tours across destinations to ensure optimum comfort and safety. This means that most travel companies may cater to your needs as a senior and ensure all possible arrangements are made for a smooth travel experience. This can also include active adult packages where you can partake in guided activities like hiking, where a local guide ensures your safety during the activity.

Further, if you are a single senior or traveling in a group, you must pay attention to the baggage rules and plan for the unexpected to ensure you have a hassle-free travel experience.