The short answer
Choose by age first, then by rooms. Contiki and EF Ultimate Break take 18- to 35-year-olds. Flash Pack runs separate trips for people aged 30 to 49 and 50 to 65. Intrepid, G Adventures, Exodus and Explore mix all ages, while Road Scholar and Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.) are built around travelers over 50.
On rooms, Intrepid, G Adventures, Exodus and Explore pair solo travelers with a roommate of the same gender at no extra charge, and on most trips you can pay for a room of your own instead. If you want your own room without paying more, look at trips where everyone is solo. EF Go Ahead's Solo Tours include private rooms at no extra cost, and in the UK, Solos and Just You guarantee every traveller a room of their own. O.A.T. says 92% of its single spaces carry no supplement.
A tour isn't the only kind of travel group, either. If you'd rather keep your independence and find company along the way, walking tours, hostels, Facebook and Meetup groups, and destination group chats all work.
How do group trips for solo travelers work?
You book as one person, and the company puts you in a group, usually of somewhere between 8 and 20 people, with a leader who handles transport, hotels and the day's plan. Some meals and activities are included. The rest of the time is yours.
Rooms are the complicated part. Most tours are priced for two people sharing a twin room, so when you book alone, the company does one of two things. It pairs you with another traveler, usually of the same gender (Intrepid goes by the gender marker on your passport), or it charges you a single supplement for a room of your own. A few companies run departures just for solo travelers, where everyone gets their own room and it's already in the price.
"I joined a small group trip in Vietnam by myself. I didn't know anyone beforehand. I shared a twin room with another woman from the group for part of it and had my own room for a few nights. It was actually a really nice middle ground between travelling completely alone and having people around."
Ashley Rourke, solo traveler, 15 countries in 4 years
You're unlikely to be the only one on your own. Intrepid says over half its travelers go solo, Explore says around 60%, and Flash Pack says 90%. Some companies also get the group talking before the trip: EF Ultimate Break sets up group chats before departure, and Flash Pack runs a WhatsApp group for each trip.
Solo-friendly group tour companies compared
These are the companies solo travelers come across most often when they look for a group, with what each one says about ages, group size and rooms. The figures are the companies' own, taken from their websites on 30 September 2026.
| Company | Who it's for | Group size | Traveling solo | If you book alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intrepid Travel | Mixed ages | Up to 14 | Over 50% | Paired with a same-gender traveler; your own room costs extra on most trips |
| G Adventures | Mixed, from early 20s to over 60 | Typically 12–16 | "Not uncommon" for half the group | No single supplement to share; "My Own Room" for a fee on most tours |
| Exodus | Mixed ages | 8–16 | More than a third | Paired with a fellow solo traveler, no supplement; your own room if you want it |
| Explore | Mixed ages | Average 11 | Around 60% | Twin share with a same-sex traveler at no extra charge; single rooms for a supplement |
| Contiki | 18–35 | Not stated | More than half | Same-sex twin or multi-share rooms (up to 6); private room upgrade on many trips |
| EF Ultimate Break | 18–35 | Not stated | 60% sign up solo | Shared rooms, with a paid upgrade to private |
| Flash Pack | 30–49, and 50–65 | Small groups | 90% | Twin share with a matched roommate; limited single rooms for a fee |
| EF Go Ahead Tours, Solo Tours | Adults; no age band | 14–20, all solo | Everyone | Private room at no extra cost |
| Road Scholar | Many trips aimed at over-50s | Varies by program | Not stated | Single rooms on most programs; no supplement on select ones |
| O.A.T. | Over 50 | Small groups | Not stated | 92% of single spaces free; low supplement on the rest |
| Solos (UK) | Solo travelers only | Average 15 | Everyone | Own room, no single supplement |
| Just You (UK) | Solo travelers only | Up to 20 on some tours | Everyone | Room of your own guaranteed |
TourRadar works differently. It's a marketplace listing more than 24,000 tours from over 2,000 operators, with filters for young adults, over-50s and women-only trips. It's handy for comparing, but read the operator's own room policy before you pay, because that's what you'll get.
Which travel group fits you?
If you're 18 to 35
Contiki and EF Ultimate Break are both built for this age group and both are social by design. Contiki says more than half its travelers arrive on their own. Rooms are same-sex twin or multi-share, with up to six people in a room, and you can upgrade to a private room on many trips. EF Ultimate Break says 60% of its travelers sign up solo; rooms are shared, with a paid upgrade to a private one, and it sets up group chats before the trip. If you'd like a quieter trip at this age, the mixed-age companies below take younger travelers too. More in our guide to group travel for young adults.
In your 30s and 40s
Flash Pack is the clearest fit if you want people your own age. Its main trips are for ages 30 to 49, with a newer range for 50 to 65, and it says 90% of its travelers come solo. Trips are priced for sharing a twin room, and about 75% of travelers do, with roommates matched through a questionnaire about sleep and habits. Single rooms cost extra and are limited, so book early if you want one. When numbers are uneven, someone may end up alone in a twin room; about 10 days before departure, Flash Pack auctions that room to the group.
Any age, with active itineraries
- Intrepid Travel keeps groups to 14 or fewer and says over half its travelers go solo. You're paired with a traveler of the same gender, or you can pay for your own room on most trips. Some nights are open-gender and shared by design, such as overnight trains, homestays and camping.
- G Adventures runs groups of typically 12 to 16, with ages from the early 20s to over 60. It doesn't charge single supplements if you share, and sells a "My Own Room" option on most tours, though a single room may not be available at every overnight stop.
- Exodus runs groups of 8 to 16 and says more than a third of its travelers join on their own. It pairs you with another solo traveler so you don't pay a supplement, unless you'd rather have your own room.
- Explore has an average group size of 11 and says around 60% of its guests travel solo. You share a twin room with someone of the same sex at no extra charge, or pay a supplement for a single room, which isn't available on every night of every tour.
Over 50
Road Scholar runs educational group trips, many of them aimed at travelers over 50. Most programs offer single rooms, and some have no single supplement; its site lets you filter for single-room availability. O.A.T. calls itself a solo specialist for travelers over 50 and says 92% of its 25,000 single spaces are free, with a low supplement on the rest and none on trip extensions and stopovers. For more, see solo travel over 50 and travel companions for seniors.
Trips where everyone is solo
On these, nobody arrives as a couple, and a room of your own is part of the deal.
- EF Go Ahead Tours runs Solo Tours for groups of 14 to 20 solo travelers, with private rooms at no extra cost. It also says more than 110,000 solo travelers have joined its Facebook group.
- Solos, a UK company, takes solo travellers only, with no couples or families. Every traveller gets their own room with no single supplement, and the average group is 15.
- Just You, also in the UK, guarantees a room of your own on its solo-only tours, with groups of up to 20 on some trips.
These can cost more per person than a shared-room tour. To compare fairly, set them against a regular tour's price plus its single supplement, not the shared-room price.
Women-only groups
Intrepid's Women's Expeditions and Road Scholar's programs for women over 50 are two established options. Our guide to solo travel for women covers them alongside women-only apps, and women's travel groups lists more operators and communities.
Singles trips are something else
A solo travel group is simply people traveling alone. A singles trip is aimed at people who are single and open to meeting someone. If that's what you're after, read our guide to group trips for singles.
The single supplement, and how to avoid it
Hotels charge by the room. When a tour is priced for two people sharing and one person takes a room alone, the company charges extra to cover the empty bed. That extra is the single supplement, and on a long trip it can add a lot. There are five ways around it:
- Share with a matched roommate. Intrepid, G Adventures, Exodus and Explore all do this at no extra charge. Flash Pack matches roommates with a questionnaire.
- Book a departure where everyone is solo. EF Go Ahead's Solo Tours, Solos and Just You include a room of your own.
- Choose a company that waives it. O.A.T. says most of its single spaces are free, Road Scholar waives the supplement on select programs, and G Adventures doesn't charge one if you share.
- Book early. Single rooms are limited, and Flash Pack warns that its single upgrades "tend to fill up quickly".
- Get lucky with numbers. If a group has an odd number of solo travelers, someone ends up with a twin room to themselves. Most companies won't promise this, and Flash Pack auctions that room instead.
Whichever you choose, check every night of the trip. Intrepid notes that some of its accommodation is open-gender and shared, such as overnight trains, homestays and camping, and G Adventures says a single room may not be available at some overnight stops.
What to ask before you book
A company's solo travel page is the sales pitch. The answers to these questions are in the trip notes, or a quick email away.
- Who's on this departure? The age range, and the typical age on the dates you want.
- How big is the group, at most, and how many people have booked so far?
- What happens if it doesn't fill? Check the minimum group size and what you're offered if the departure is cancelled.
- How do rooms work on every night? Ask about shared nights on trains, in homestays or at camps.
- What does a room of your own cost, and is it available on every night?
- How active is it? Hours of walking a day, altitude, and how heavy a bag you'll carry yourself.
- How much free time is there, and which meals are included?
- Can you talk to the group before you go? Some companies set up a group chat.
- What's the cancellation policy, and does your travel insurance cover the tour?
Is a group tour worth it when you travel solo?
It depends on the place and on what you want from the trip. A tour takes the hard parts off your hands and gives up some freedom in return.
| A group tour works well when | You may be better off alone when |
|---|---|
| You want company from the first day | You like changing your plans on the day |
| The logistics are hard alone: remote treks, permits, long transfers | The place is easy alone: walkable cities with good trains |
| Guides, drivers and entry fees would cost a lot for one person | You're on a tight budget and happy to use public transport |
| You'd rather not plan every detail | You want to choose who you spend your time with |
You can also mix the two: a week on a tour for the hard part, then a week on your own somewhere easier. Our guide to solo travel destinations shows which places are easy to do alone and which are easier with a group.
Other kinds of travel groups for solo travelers
Not every travel group is a tour. If you'd rather travel independently and find a group along the way, these work too.
- Walking tours, food tours and group day trips. One day at a time, nothing to commit to, and a group ready-made.
- Hostels that run group dinners and activities, including their private rooms if you don't want a dorm. There's more on this in our guide to meeting people while traveling solo.
- Online communities. Facebook groups for solo travelers, including tour companies' own, and Meetup events in the city you're visiting.
- Destination group chats and travel buddy platforms. Trespot's city groups are group chats for people heading to the same city. On a free account, a ticket or booking check gives you full access. It isn't a tour, so there's no leader or itinerary, just other travelers who'll be there, some of them on your dates. Its Find Travel Partner board lets you post your route and dates and see who else is going. Our guide to searching for a travel buddy explains how it works and what's free.
FAQs
What is the best travel group for solo travelers?
It depends on your age and how you want to sleep. For 18 to 35, Contiki or EF Ultimate Break. For 30 to 49, Flash Pack. For mixed ages and active trips, Intrepid, G Adventures, Exodus or Explore. Over 50, Road Scholar or O.A.T. If you want a room of your own included, look at solo-only departures such as EF Go Ahead's Solo Tours, Solos or Just You.
Are there group tours with no single supplement?
Yes. EF Go Ahead's Solo Tours, Solos and Just You include a room of your own, and O.A.T. says most of its single spaces are free. Intrepid, G Adventures, Exodus and Explore don't charge a supplement if you're happy to share with a matched roommate.
Will I be the only solo traveler in the group?
Probably not. Intrepid says over half its travelers go solo, Explore says around 60% and Flash Pack 90%. On solo-only departures, everyone is.
Are travel groups for solo travelers only for young people?
No. Contiki and EF Ultimate Break stop at 35, but Flash Pack has trips for 50 to 65, Road Scholar and O.A.T. focus on travelers over 50, and G Adventures says its groups range from people in their early 20s to over 60.
Do I have to share a room with a stranger?
Only if you choose the cheaper option. On most tours you can pay for a room of your own, and on solo-only departures it's included. If you do share, companies pair you with someone of the same gender.
Sources
- Intrepid Travel, Solo travel
- G Adventures, Solo travel
- Exodus Adventure Travels, Solo travel tours
- Explore Worldwide, Holidays for solo travellers
- Contiki, Solo travel
- EF Ultimate Break, Solo travel trips
- Flash Pack, home page and help center, How does rooming work?
- EF Go Ahead Tours, Solo travel tours
- Road Scholar, Solo travel and women-only adventures
- Overseas Adventure Travel, Leader in solo travel
- Solos and Just You
- TourRadar, Solo tours
- All accessed 30 September 2026. Trespot features checked in the Trespot web app (version 2.3.0004) on the same date.
