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1: The rating of two is based on the tour itinerary and does not include optional excursions that may increase the required exertion level. For more information regarding exertion categories, see Tour FAQ. 2: Mid to high-range accommodations. See more information in Tour FAQ. 3: Hotel is subject to change. 4: There may not be an option for a private room for three nights in El Castillo – if not, the fee will be adjusted accordingly. 5: The tour starts at 3:30pm on the first day and ends at the hotel checkout of the last day, so: 16 breakfasts, 15 lunches and 16 dinners total for tour duration and included as specified above. 6: Specific coverages are required and will be verified at the start of the tour. See Tour FAQ for more information. 7: These requirements should be verified independently before booking a tour. 8: Vaccination is only suggested for Nicaragua, but REQUIRED for travel with Go BIG Tours. 9: Measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, pnemonococcal, varicella-zoster, and meningococcal.

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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2024

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Executive Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Caroline has a passion for adventure travel and has hiked to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the bottom of the Grand Canyon in pursuit of a good story. Follow her around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2024 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Adventure Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Adventure Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten-path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Adventure Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 8-16 people and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Adventure Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Aventure Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Adventure Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Adventure Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,014 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $799 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $749.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 10 million dollars to over 160 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-35 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience foodie trip of a lifetime Intrepid Travel’s South Korea Real Food Adventure , which includes time in three cities and an overnight temple stay.

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination. For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina).

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $6,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to closer destinations like Mexico or Costa Rica—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife & Nature: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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Group travel booking: all your questions answered

The 10 best group travel companies, 10 of the best group travel companies, 1. travelperk.

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2. g adventures.

• Unique and off-the-beaten-path travel experiences
• Hiking, cycling, rail, and marine tours
• Tours focused on wellness
• 18-to-thirty-somethings tours
• Solo traveler-friendly group trips

3. Intrepid Travel

• 18-29s tours
• Active adventures (hiking, biking, kayaking, etc)
• Adventure cruising (travel by boat)
• Family tours
• Wildlife and polar tours
• Women’s expeditions (all-female tours)
• Urban Adventures day tours

4. Exodus Travels

• Trips for those in their 30s-40s, families, and self-guided tours
• Mixed activity trips
• Small ship cruises
• Desert treks, coastal walks, and wildlife walks
• Private group adventures

5. MT Sobek

• Search based on activity/fitness level
• Hiking, trekking, rafting, and kayaking activities
• Family adventures
• Adventure cruising and camping
• Search by accommodation, including luxury hotels, safari camps and lodges, and rustic lodging
• Private and customized travel tours
• Skiing and snowboarding tours
• Short trips and festivals
• Island hopping tours, road trips, and bus tours
• Pride trips
• 24/7 customer support

7. For the Love of Travel (FTLO)

• Weekend trips
• International trips
• A commitment to being a climate-neutral brand, supporting local economies, and only working with vendors that align with their values
• Low-season travel tour deals
• “Choice touring”, a selection of curated experiences in off-the-beaten-path destinations
• Faith-based travel itineraries

9. EF Go Ahead Tours

• Multi-country tours
• Food and wine, history, and family tours
• Seasonal and special event tours (including Oktoberfest, Christmas market tours, and summer tours)
• Safari, wildlife, battlefield, and national park tours
• Private and customized group tours

10. Classic Journeys

• A loyalty program offering discounts and priority room assignments
• Groups and corporate luxury tours
• Couples and friends tours
• Limited edition vacations, such as visiting Japan’s cherry blossoms or viewing a solar eclipse
• A variety of walking, food and wine, multisport, and heritage and ancestry tours

What are the common challenges involved in booking trips for large groups of people?

Gathering all of the necessary group travel information, multiple moving parts are difficult to manage, what are group travel companies and what services do they typically offer, design travel itineraries according to client needs, offer locally based guides.

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15 Best Group Travel Companies for Guided Tours in 2024

The best tour companies for guided tours in 2024 deliver special insider experiences you simply can't book independently..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

Guided tours are an easy and stress-free way to discover new places. When you travel with the best tour operators, you can often dig much deeper into the history, culture, and daily life of your destination than if you’d gone it alone. In fact, the world’s top tour companies employ local guides, handle all of the details, and often deliver special insider travel experiences you simply can’t book independently. And travel tour groups are a good value, too.

To learn more about this year’s best tour companies and their guided tours, click on any company name in the list below to go straight to their website and start your search. Or, scroll down to read more about my picks for the best tour operators in 2024.

2024’s Best Tour Operators for Guided Tours 

• G Adventures  
• Adventures by Disney
• Grand Circle Travel
• Road Scholar
• Collette  
• Tauck  
• National Geographic Expeditions  
• Overseas Adventure Travel
• Intrepid Travel  
• AdventureWomen  
• Abercrombie & Kent
• Exodus Travels

1. Trafalgar Tours

One of the largest and most established tour operators in the world, Trafalgar offers everything from standard coach tours and small group active tours to private tours, hiking and biking tours, and special interest tours built around nature, history, food, and other interests. All told, Trafalgar hosts more than 350 guided tours in 72 countries and all seven continents. England, Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Egypt, Ireland, Argentina, and Thailand are some of its most popular destinations. ( Read our full Trafalgar review here .)

Seniors and travelers 50 and older are Trafalagar’s core audience, though children as young as five years old are welcome on its family tours. Trafalgar’s solo travel options include free or reduced single supplement prices for many of its most popular trips. Each of its tour directors has at least three to five years of road experience, and many have been with the company for decades. 

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Trafalgar’s guided tours cover all accommodations (typically four-star hotels where available) and most transportation during your trip, including airport transfers on the majority of its overseas tours. Most meals and activities are included. Trafalgar also offers special one-of-a-kind experiences such as dining with locals, sleeping in a castle or historic hotel, and early entry to popular tourist attractions. Anyone who books a tour with Trafalgar’ is automatically enrolled in its Very Important Traveler (VIT) program that offers discounts and priority access on future trips. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Trafalgar

• Average guided tour group size: 40 guests (standard coach tours); no more than 17 guests on small group active tours.
• Price range: Upscale.
• What’s included: Accommodations, transportation within the trip, admission prices, and most meals.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, some meals, and tips.
• Primary audience: Seniors and travelers over the age of 50.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to book:  Directly through  Trafalgar or through a travel agent
• More tours: 10 Best Trafalgar Tours to Take in 2024

2. G Adventures

Small group tour operator G Adventures has guided trips suitable for a wide range of travel preferences. The company’s driving philosophy is all about improving the world through travel, and it supports this mission by utilizing local businesses and community resources on its tours. Many of G Adventures’s guests share this philosophy as a core value. 

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The company’s guided tours cater to a variety of fitness levels and cultural interests. Its classic tours hit a sweet spot between backpacking and traditional group tours; active tours focus heavily on hiking, trekking, biking, and other physically intense activities; family tours lean into age-appropriate activities and kid-friendly accommodations; local living tours let you participate in the rituals of daily life in unique destinations around the world; and 18-to-thirtysomething tours let young adults explore the world with similarly aged companions. 

G Adventures also partners with National Geographic for both general tours and family journeys designed to provide guests with an even deeper understanding of the cultures and traditions of each destination. And the company’s one-of-a-kind Jane Goodall Collection of guided tours offers a responsible way to experience wildlife up close. G Adventures offers a unique perk on all of its trips. The company’s Lifetime Deposits program allows you to retain your initial deposit for use at a later date at no extra charge if you need to postpone a trip due to a change in plans or circumstances.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company G Adventures

• Average guided tour group size: 12 people.
• Price category: Moderate.
• What’s included: Accommodations, activities, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare.
• Primary audience: Adults ages 30 to 55, but also families and younger travelers.
• How to book: Directly through G Adventures or through a travel agent.
• More tours: 10 Best G Adventures Tours to Take in 2024

3. Adventures by Disney

Founded in 2005, Adventures by Disney offers upscale small group tours to about 40 destinations on all seven continents. While you may associate Disney with princesses and talking animals, a vacation with Adventures by Disney is more about the Disney way of doing things than it is about The Walt Disney Company’s entertainment brand. 

When you travel with Adventures by Disney, what you’re getting is top-notch service, people-pleasing trip leaders (called Adventure Guides), and special experiences created just for Disney’s guided tours (think skip-the-line access to tourist attractions like the Louvre in Paris, special backstage tours on Broadway, or traditional bread-baking demonstrations in Iceland). Each trip also includes at least one Adventure Guide from the host destination, who brings local knowledge and a deep connection to the destination. 

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On guided tours with Adventures by Disney, things run smoothly and right on time . That makes it a great choice for stress-free family travel adventures . Most of Adventures by Disney’s guided tours feature built-in family time as well as built-in alone time for the adults. On some evenings, the Adventure Guides may host a “Junior Adventure” movie night. Other times there may be a kids-only dining table for the evening meal. 

Guided tours with Adventures by Disney include upscale accommodations, transportation within the trip (such as airport transfers, internal flights or trains, and motor coaches), admission prices and VIP experiences, luggage and concierge services, taxes, most gratuities, and many meals. There are typically some “on your own” meals, and pre-trip transportation is not included in the price. Adventures by Disney vacations tend toward the luxury side of the price range: an eight-day Peru vacation starts at $6,199 in 2024; an Adriatic expedition cruise starts at $8,999. In addition to its family-oriented trips, Adventures by Disney also offers private tours and adults-exclusive tours.

Adventures by Disney travelers can enroll in the company’s Adventure Insiders program to receive special offers, including advance notice of new tour destinations.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Adventures by Disney

• Average guided tour group size: 35 to 44 guests.
• Price range: Upscale/premium.
• What’s included: Accommodations, transportation within the trip, admission prices, VIP experiences, luggage and concierge services, taxes, most gratuities, and most meals.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, some meals, and tips for your Adventure Guides.
• Primary audience: Families and adult Disney fans.
• How to Book: Directly through Adventures by Disney or through a travel agent.

The flagship brand of the Globus family of companies (which also includes Cosmos and Avalon Waterways ), tour operator Globus offers coach tours on six continents spanning more than 70 countries. Tour styles include small group tours , offered on Europe and North America itineraries; choice tours, which allow you to choose from three or four possible excursions rather than a one-size-fits-all schedule; undiscovered tours that take a deep dive away from the tourist areas; self-guided independent tours; Escapes by Globus , which operate during the slower tourism season between November and March; and faith-based trips to destinations such as the Holy Land.

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Globus caters to older adults, generally from about 50 to 70 years old, with most guests traveling as part of a couple or family. For solo travelers, which comprise about 20% of the tour company’s guests, Globus offers single supplement waiver promotions on select tours. Globus also has a Welcome Back Credit loyalty program. Each trip earns up to a $250 credit toward a future trip with Globus, Cosmos, or Avalon Waterways.

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Globus

• Average guided tour group size: 38 guests (classic coach tours); 20 to 24 guests (small group discovery tours).
• Price category: Budget to moderate.
• What’s included: Hotels, all breakfasts, some additional meals, all transportation, VIP “skip the line” access, and local guides.
• What’s not included:  Gratuities and airfare; however, Globus offers the option to purchase airfare when you book, which comes with free airport transfers.
• Primary audience: Adults between 50 and 70 years old.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Oceania.
• How to book: Directly through Globus or through a travel agent.

5. Grand Circle Travel

Operating since 1958, Grand Circle Travel is another highly regarded tour operator for adults over 50. The flagship brand within the Grand Circle family of companies (which also includes Overseas Adventure Travel ) offers a wide selection of land-based tours and river cruises for groups ranging in size from 24 to 47 people. 

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Grand Circle Travel’s trips are specifically designed for older travelers. Leisurely pacing and a focus on value are hallmarks of the Grand Circle experience. Like its sister company Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), which is a top choice for active solo travelers over age 50, Grand Circle stands out as a great fit for solo travelers interested in finding camaraderie and community on vacation. The company offers free or low-cost single supplement fees on all of its itineraries. Grand Circle has guided tour experiences on all seven continents. Land-based group tours average about 30 travelers, while river cruises can range from about 38 to 45 guests. Grand Circle’s loyalty program, called the Inner Circle Club , offers discounts for frequent guests and multiple trips booked within the same calendar year. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Grand Circle Travel

• Average guided tour group size: 24 to 30 guests (land tours); 38 to 45 guests (river cruises).
• Price category: Moderate to upscale.
• What’s included: Airfare, meals, activities, accommodations, transportation, special events, gratuities for local guides and motor coach drivers (land tours); airfare, accommodations, most meals, onboard drinks and house beer and wine, port charges, and gratuities for local guides and motor coach drivers (cruises).
• What’s not included: Airfare can also be purchased separately.
• Primary audience: Adults, including solo travelers, over the age of 50.
• How to book: Directly through Grand Circle Travel or through a travel agent.

6. Road Scholar

What started as the tour company Elderhostel in 1975 has since evolved into Road Scholar , a non-profit tour company with an educational focus that offers guided tours around the world. Its primary audience is senior travelers, but it also has the special and unique Grandparent Adventures , which support grandparents and grandchildren traveling together. Road Scholar is also very solo-traveler friendly—about 25 percent of Road Scholar tour guests are solo travelers. And the tour company has a number of itineraries for women-only tours as well.  

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Road Scholar’s educational tours include all accommodations plus most meals, expert-led lectures, field trips, and hands-on experiences, as well as transportation and gratuities. Road Scholar is able to book airfare for international tours, which allows you to have your travel monitored and supported by the company from start to finish. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company Road Scholar

• Average Tour Size: 22 people.
• Price Range: Budget to luxury (from about $699 to $21,999 per person).
• What’s Included: Accommodations, most meals, expert-led experiences, transportation, gratuities, and the Road Scholar Assurance Plan coverage.
• What’s Not Included: Pre- and post-trip transportation.
• Primary Audience: Older travelers, grandparents traveling with grandkids, women, and solo travelers.
• Destinations: Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Australia and South Pacific, and Antarctica.
• How to book: Directly through Road Scholar or through a travel agent.

7. Collette

A family-run business with hundreds of guided tour options across all seven continents, Collette offers a mix of small group trips (14 to 24 people per tour) and classic guided tours (up to 44 people). Its group tours start around $1,500, and most guests are over the age of 55. Collette is worldwide travel brand and tour operator with offices in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

BE PREPARED: 10 Things to Know Before Your First Group Tour

From land tours and river cruises to rail journeys, small group tours, and city stays, Collette offers a variety of ways to travel, including optional excursions and pre- and post-tour nights at your destination. And while the company tends to attract an older and budget-focused audience with an eye toward value, many of its hotels are four-star quality, and meals favor well-reviewed local restaurants with generous menus. 

Collette employs local guides for all of its trips and puts an emphasis on utilizing local businesses and restaurants. It also offers community sustainability programs for its guests in destinations across the world and invests a percentage of its proceeds back into local community or sustainability projects. Tour guests are automatically enrolled in The Collette Passport Club and receive credit toward future trips. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Collette

• Average guided tour group size: 44 guests (classic tours); 14 to 24 guests (small group tours).
• What’s included: Hotels, activities, museum and attraction admissions, local guides, transportation, and airport transfers.
• What’s not included: Airfare, meals, and gratuities.
• Primary audience: Adults, primarily couples, between the ages of 50 and 70.
• How to book: Directly through Collette or through a travel agent.

8. T auck Tours

Family-owned Tauck has a simple philosophy: Deliver more than what’s expected. The award-winning guided tour operator has been doing just that for nearly 100 years by offering authentic experiences and behind-the-scenes access to destinations all over the world. Tauck’s century of experience is evident in nearly every detail of its guided trips, which cover more than 100 destinations in 70+ countries across all seven continents.

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The company’s tours are well-regarded for their expertise in local customs, traditions, flora, and fauna. Meals and accommodations are upscale. Its tour guides, called Tauck Directors, come from 40 countries and average a decade of experience each. You can choose from five unique trip styles: land tours, small group journeys, river cruises, small ship cruises, and multigenerational family journeys called Tauck Bridges. The tour operator also boasts an exclusive partnership with the award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, offering deep-dive trips that explore the themes of his films, including the American Civil War, U.S. national parks, baseball, and jazz. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Tauck

• Average guided tour group size: 35 people (standard tours); 24 people (small group tours).
• Price category: Upscale.
• What’s included: Gratuities, sightseeing and admissions, most meals, airport and luggage transfer, and taxes.
• What’s not included: Airfare and alcohol.
• Primary audience: Adults over age 50 and multigenerational family groups.
• How to book: Directly through Tauck or through a travel agent.

9. National Geographic Expeditions

Launched in 1999, National Geographic Expeditions leans into its parent company’s core values of exploration, science, education, and storytelling to offer exceptional guided tours on all seven continents. From exploring the Swiss and Italian Alps by train to photographing Machu Picchu at sunrise, National Geographic Expeditions takes you to some of the most celebrated natural wonders, archaeological sites, and wildlife-rich destinations in the world. 

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A guided trip with National Geographic Expeditions is all about meaningful exploration of the world and its many cultures. Whether by land, small ship, train, river cruise, or even private jet, you can expect a guided tour that goes way beyond the ordinary. And with itineraries geared specifically for photographers, families ( in partnership with G Adventures ), or independent travelers, you’ll be exploring alongside both like-minded travelers and subject matter experts. 

The company offers two unique ways to travel: National Geographic Signature Land tours, led by NatGeo experts, are its flagship trips and feature high-end accommodations, special access to field researchers and sites of interest, and even photography workshops; National Geographic Journeys, led by local guides, utilize mid-range hotels and blend hands-on exploration with more free time to explore on your own. Many National Geographic Expeditions trips also offer pre- and post-trip extensions.

The National Geographic Lifelong Explorers program offers loyalty discounts for return guests. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from each trip helps fund the National Geographic Society’s research and conservation programs around the world.

Quick Facts about Guided Travel Tours with National Geographic Expeditions

• Average guided tour group size: 16 to 25 people per departure; cruises are all in small ships under 200 passengers.
• Price category: Premium (National Geographic Signature Expeditions); budget to moderate (National Geographic Journeys).
• What’s included: Meals, accommodations, excursions, services of a National Geographic Expert, ground transportation, most transfers, baggage handling, most gratuities (for National Geographic Signature Land); some meals, accommodations, excursions, local guides, ground transportation, and some transfers (for National Geographic Journeys).
• What’s not included: Airfare, some meals, and some gratuities.
• Primary audience: Photographers and families with a passion for learning.
• How to book: Directly through National Geographic Expeditions or through a travel agent.

The budget-friendly member of the Globus family of travel brands (alongside Globus and Avalon Waterways ), Cosmos offers a range of tours around the world but has a particularly strong focus on European tours. Cosmos offers similar itineraries to its sister brand Globus but brings costs down by opting for good-but-more-budget-minded accommodations. While Cosmos is best known for its coach tours, the company also offers small group trips, off-the-beaten-path itineraries in popular destinations, event-focused tours, and Christian faith-based trips that highlight religious history in the Holy Land, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

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Cosmos runs tours on five continents spanning more than 60 countries. Among its most popular destinations are Great Britain and Ireland, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. Many of the company’s tour directors hail from the country in which they lead tours, and a number of them have spent decades with Cosmos. The company also employs local guides to help with additional on-the-ground aspects of its tours. Cosmos offers a Welcome Back Credit loyalty program. Each trip earns up to a $250 credit toward a future trip with Globus, Cosmos, or Avalon Waterways.

Quick Facts about Group Tours with Cosmos 

• Average guided tour group size: 36 guests (standard coach tours); 20 to 24 guests (small group tours).
• Price category: Budget.
• What’s included: Hotels, guided city sightseeing excursions, ground transportation, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare, optional excursions, gratuities; flights and airport transfers can be purchased at additional cost from Cosmos.
• Primary audience: Adults in their early to mid 50s.
• Destinations: Europe, South America, Central America, North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
• How to Book: Directly through Cosmos or through a travel agent.

11. Overseas Adventure Tours (O.A.T.)

Part of the Grand Circle family of companies that also includes Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line, Overseas Adventure Travel (also called O.A.T.) is a small group adventure travel tour specialist offering guided tours on all seven continents. O.A.T.’s tour group guests are over the age of 50 and many are solo travelers looking to join like-minded travelers on active itineraries around the world.

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Why is O.A.T. is so popular with older solo travelers? One reason is that the company rarely charges a single supplement on its trips. A fair number of the company’s guided tour itineraries also have women-exclusive departures. Overseas Adventure Travel rates all of its tours by activity level ranging from one (easy) to five (strenuous). The company operates more than 60 unique trips on all seven continents. Both multi-country and single-country tours are offered; some itineraries focus on culture while others have an ecological focus.

Unlike many other guided tour companies, O.A.T.’s prices typically include airfare, though guests also have the option to book their own flights. Overseas Adventure Travel’s loyalty program is the Sir Edmund Hillary Club , which offers benefits beginning with your third trip.

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.)

• Average guided tour group size: 13 people.
• What’s included: Airfare, most meals, all transportation, accommodations, activities, and gratuities for local guides.
• What’s not included: Gratuities for trip leaders, some meals; airfare can also be booked separately.
• Primary audience: Active adults over 50, particularly solo travelers.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to Book: Directly through OAT or through a travel agent.

12. Intrepid Travel

Sustainable and experience-rich travel is the heart and soul of everything Intrepid Travel does. The not-for-profit group travel tour operator runs trips geared toward young adults, women, solo travelers, active travelers, and families, and it generally attracts like-minded guests who value responsible travel, conservation, and respect for indigenous cultures. In fact, many of Intrepid’s most compelling guided tours make personal connections with local communities a centerpiece of the experience.

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Intrepid offers a wide range of trip styles and themes to suit a variety of audiences: Basix caters to independent travelers who prefer free time to explore on their own; Original tours include a mix of activities and free time; Comfort goes at a relaxed pace; and Premium tours offer the best accommodations, most comfortable transportation, and exclusive experiences. Different themes include Active, Food, Expeditions, Family, Solo, 18 to 29s, and Trekking, among others. Travelers are automatically enrolled in the Intrepid Insiders program with their first trip. The loyalty program offers advance notice of sales and new trips.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Intrepid Travel

• Average guided tour group size : 12 people.
• What’s included: Accommodations, local transport, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare, travel insurance, and tips.
• Primary audience : Adults ages 25 to 40.
• Destinations : Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to Book: Directly through Intrepid or through a travel agent.

13. AdventureWomen

The women’s-only travel group AdventureWomen makes it easy for female travelers to explore the world in a safe and meaningful way alongside other women. Founded in 1982, AdventureWomen now offers nearly 50 tours across more than 65 counties. AdventureWomen’s guided travel tours for women welcome solo female travelers, women traveling together, mother-daughter pairs, sisters, and more. Each tour description clearly outlines the required fitness level for the journey. 

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The company’s most popular guided tours include a wintertime tour of Iceland to view the Northern Lights, a Galapagos Islands wildlife cruise by private yacht, and a journey along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. These guided women’s only adventure tours include lodging, ground transportation, most meals and activities, guides, and some gratuities. AdventureWomen’s average tour group size is on the small side, with tours generally welcoming 12 to 15 women per departure. Guests often credit the small group size for fostering camaraderie with other travelers on these guided tours. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company AdventureWomen

• Average guided tour group size: 12 to 15 people.
• What’s included: Accommodations, most meals and activities, ground transportation, tour guides (called Managers), and some gratuities.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, alcohol, some gratuities, and certain meals.
• Primary audience: Women seeking to travel with other women.
• Destinations : Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, and the Middle East.
• How to Book: Directly through AdventureWomen or through a travel agent.

14. Abercrombie & Kent

A pioneer in the world of luxury small group trips, Abercrombie & Kent has been operating guided tours for more than 60 years. These days, the tour company runs trips on all seven continents spanning more than 100 countries. Each of Abercrombie & Kent’s small group tours is run by a Resident Tour Director who remains with the group throughout the trip, while additional specialized local guides help travelers enjoy one-of-a-kind insider experiences.

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Because Abercrombie & Kent is a luxury tour operator, accommodations tend toward high-end hotels wherever possible. Participants are often Gen X and Boomers. Guests are automatically enrolled in the company’s Marco Polo Club loyalty program on their third journey with Abercrombie & Kent. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Abercrombie & Kent

• Average guided tour group size: 14 people.
• Price category: Upscale/premium.
• What’s included: Inter-trip flights, upscale accommodations, luggage transfers, meals, mid-journey laundry services, all activities, and expert guides.
• What’s not included: Airfare to and from your trip destination.
• Primary audience: Adults aged 40 and older.
• How to Book: Directly through Abercrombie & Kent or through a travel agent.

15. Exodus Travels

A worldwide adventure travel tour operator, Exodus Travels offers small group and independent cycling, walking, hiking, wildlife, and cultural tours in nearly 90 countries across all seven continents. Exodus has operated small group guided tours, self-guided tours, and private tours around the world since 1974, and today offers more than 500 unique tours ranging from popular locales like the Amalfi Coast in Italy to remote destinations like Tajikistan. 

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The company’s small group tours average between eight to 16 guests and utilize local trip leaders and experienced local guides. Solo travelers comprise nearly half of Exodus’s guests, who are given the option to pay a single room supplement or share a room with another guest at no additional charge. For those who want the convenience of a curated trip (pre-planned accommodations, activities, and transportation) without the constraints of traveling with a group, Exodus’s self-guided options give you freedom and flexibility to explore on your own. 

While Exodus is popular with budget-minded travelers, the company also offers premium guided tours to some popular destinations. A partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation allows Exodus to offer luxury safaris, for example. Guests are automatically enrolled in the tour operator’s loyalty program, called Exodus Collective , after two trips. Exodus Collective offers special discounts and members-only sales. After your seventh trip, you’ll be upgraded to the company’s Pioneer level, which comes with even greater discounts and perks. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Exodus Travels

• Average guided tour group size: 8 to 16 people.
• Price category: Budget to upscale.
• What’s included: Accommodations, some meals, activities, and local guides.
• What’s not included: Airfare, airport transfers, and gratuities.
• Primary audience: Adventure travelers, solo travelers, and active independent travelers.
• How to Book: Directly through Exodus or through a travel agent.

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11 Best Tour Companies for Family Vacations

These guided tour companies make family tours look easy..

Making your  family vacation ideas  a reality isn’t always easy. Whether you’re headed to a popular  family vacation spot  with just your immediate family or planning a big  multigenerational vacation  with grandparents and cousins, getting all the messy details right can be a challenge. Guided family tours remove all the hassle of mapping out an itinerary and choosing lodging and activities, though, and they’re especially nice once you’ve arrived at your destination and can sit back and let your guide handle the details.

From on-the-go vacations with nonstop action to more relaxed sightseeing experiences for kids (and adults) who prefer to take it slow, there are plenty of great family tours to choose from. Here are the top guided tour companies that make  family travel adventures  a total breeze.

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1. Adventures by Disney

With the word Disney in its name, it should come as no surprise that  Adventures by Disney  is a go-to choice for family tours. Adventures by Disney offers immersive guided tours on all seven continents led by Disney-trained “Adventure Guides” and local experts who help families truly experience the culture of each destination visited. 

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The family tour company’s  Land Adventures  typically range from 30 to 40 guests, while its  Expedition Cruises  and  River Cruises  vary in size by destination. For a more intimate experience, families can book a  Private Adventure  for up to 12 travelers. All of the company’s family tours deliver “the Disney difference,” which includes special access to local sites, activities and accommodations carefully chosen for families, memorable surprises and the stellar service for which The Walt Disney Company is known. 

Tour itineraries are designed to promote family togetherness, but there are also activities geared toward getting the “Junior Adventurers” (children 12 and younger) to have fun together while parents relax or explore on their own. Transfers to and from your arrival and departure spot, all transportation during the tour, accommodations, most meals and snacks, scheduled  activities and entertainment  and most gratuities are included in Adventures by Disney’s tour price.

2. Thomson Family Adventures

Small group tour operator  Thomson Family Adventures  has been running family travel tours since the 1990s and its expertise in that area definitely shines through. Itineraries are crafted with carefully vetted accommodations and activities, and the company prides itself on a “white-glove experience” that helps both kids and adults go beyond the basics in a destination to make lasting memories. 

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Its family tours feature about three to four families (and no more than 20 guests) on each tour. Expert guides lead the way, and some tours also have special guides called “rafikis” (Swahili for “friend”) to help kids get to know each other and explore the local culture. Bucket-list destinations like  Tanzania ,  Baja ,  Peru  and the  Galapagos Islands  are popular family tour destinations offered by Thomson Family Adventures. 

Tours include accommodations, entrance fees for activities, land transportation, guides and most meals and snacks. Some destinations also include flexibility for families to explore on their own. Family groups can also book just-for-them  custom trips  for a private family vacation experience.

3. Backroads

Active travel company  Backroads  offers family trips divided into three distinct age groups: families with kids and teens (best for ages nine and up), families with older teens and 20s and families with adult kids in their 20s and beyond. Doing this allows the company to tailor the tour activities, programming and travel times to specific age groups and bring together folks of similar interests and travel styles. 

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Popular family tours include  hiking and biking in Alaska , an  adventure tour of Costa Rica  and a  bike tour of Tuscany . Each tour focuses on family activities and dedicated kid time and adult time for socialization among the generations (the kids might all eat together one night, for example, or the adults might head off on a bike ride while younger travelers are otherwise entertained).

Backroads runs its guided tours in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. Family tour groups average about 16 guests per trip, but most U.S. trips can accommodate up to 26 travelers. Tours include accommodations, most meals and snacks, private tours at attractions, bikes and other equipment and most gratuities.

4. Explore Worldwide

The small group family tours offered by  Explore Worldwide  generally range from three to five families with a maximum group size of between 16 and 20. The tour company offers kid-friendly tours in Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and North America that are suitable for children ages seven and up. 

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Families can also choose the level of activity they want based on everyone’s ages, interests and abilities. The company’s “Relaxed” tours include morning downtime and pool days. “Moderate” tours have a little more activity but still some downtime. “Full-On” family tours feature busier days and some early morning starts.

Explore Worldwide’s guided family travel tours include all accommodations, most meals and excursions. The company seeks out family-friendly lodging with pools and unique stays like tree tents or houseboats. Expert local tour leaders help keep tour goers of all ages engaged and interested along the way and families can skip an activity if they want to rest, relax, or explore on their own.

Tour operator Tauck’s collection of family tours (called  Tauck Bridges ) includes guided land journeys, European river cruises and a small ship ocean cruise in the Galapagos Islands. These tours are designed “from the ground up” specifically for families, prioritizing elements like hotels with swimming pools and family-friendly restaurants built into every itinerary. 

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The tours work well for parents traveling with young children, grandparents traveling with their grandchildren and multigenerational family groups. Tour guides called Tauck Directors lead families on these excursions. Popular family trips include tours of the American West like the  Cowboy Country tour  through Wyoming and South Dakota and the  Red Rocks and Painted Canyons tour  in Arizona, Utah and Nevada. European itineraries are also popular with families and range from a  tour of Ireland  to a  family river cruise in Portugal .

Tauck’s guided family trips include accommodations, all excursions, admission to all attractions, all gratuities, most meals, airport transfers and luggage handling. Riverboat tours can accommodate up to 130 passengers, while group sizes for land journeys tend to average between 35 and 40 people. Families can also book private customized tours for family groups as small as 10 people. 

6. Escape Adventures

Families who want to get out and get moving on vacation will find plenty of group tour options through  Escape Adventures . This tour company for active travelers offers a range of family tours  throughout the United States  (and  one in New Zealand ) where families can see the sights while biking, hiking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, or canyoneering. 

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You don’t have to be a family of seasoned adventurers to enjoy all of the company’s family travel tours. While some offerings are tailored to experienced bikers and paddlers, others are well-suited for beginners. Tour descriptions offer information on age level, fitness level and elevation range. Lodging options range from “first-class camping” to cabins to luxury inns. 

Tour groups with Escape Adventures are small – just six to 13 guests – and the guide-to-guest ratio averages one guide for every five guests. Tours include all accommodations, transportation during the tour, meals (except where noted on itineraries), snacks and nonalcoholic beverages, group supplies and community gear, park fees, a mobile first-aid and mechanic station and a support vehicle or vehicles. Participants will either need to rent bikes or ship their own to the destination.

7. Intrepid Travel

Family tours offered by  Intrepid Travel  bring together three to five like-minded families for true cultural immersion in the tour destinations. And because Intrepid’s guided family tours have an average group size of 10 people, guests often gain access to more intimate experiences than those available with larger tour groups. 

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Itineraries feature plenty of activity to keep the kids entertained plus some downtime for taking a breather and most hotels along the way have pools. A focus on sustainable travel runs through all of Intrepid Travel’s tours: Families might plant vegetables and gather produce in  Costa Rica , visit an orangutan rehabilitation facility in  Borneo , or learn about Masaai culture in  Kenya . Closer to home, tour-goers can follow a wolf tracker in  Yellowstone National Park  or watch a glacier calve in  Alaska .

Intrepid’s family tours include all accommodations and in-trip transportation as well as some meals and activities. Families can also add on optional activities at some spots for more in-depth exploration.

8. G Adventures

If you’re looking to travel the world in an adventurous and educational way, you can’t beat  National Geographic Family Journeys  with G Adventures. Appropriate for families with kids ages seven and up, these family tours explore everywhere from  U.S. national parks and  Iceland’s glaciers and fjords to  Costa Rica’s rainforest and the desert sands of Morocco . 

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Tours draw on National Geographic’s expertise in areas like photography, geography, conservation and wildlife to help bring destinations alive for families through interactive activities and experiences. Each tour is led by two “Chief Experience Officers” who are specially trained to work with children and tour descriptions detail the physical activity rating and service level of each particular trip. 

Family-friendly hotels are chosen that speak to the culture or character of the destination and have amenities like swimming pools when possible. Meal times include plenty of opportunities to try the local cuisine as well as options for not-so-adventurous eaters. Tours include all accommodations, most meals, transportation and fees for scheduled activities and snacks and water. Families also have time to explore the area on their own and can add on optional activities if they choose.

9. Trafalgar

Travel tour company  Trafalgar  offers more than 200 itineraries that help families enjoy memory-making experiences. With family tours in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, there’s a wide range of destinations and activities to suit all ages and family members. 

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Trafalgar’s tours help families learn about different cultures and take part in out-of-the-ordinary adventures in a stress-free way. Itineraries feature planned activities plus downtime to explore at your own pace, as well as the opportunity to add on optional experiences. Travel Directors take care of the details and provide an insider’s perspective on each destination. 

Popular family tours include a  Costa Rica excursion  filled with wildlife watching and a volcano trek; a  pioneer adventure in the American West  that includes visits to national parks and a train ride through the scenic landscape; and a  tour of Italy offering pizza-making lessons, visits to famous landmarks and even a stint at gladiator school.

Tour group sizes average about 40 people and tours include all accommodations and transportation during the trip plus most activities and meals.

10. Road Scholar

Originally founded as Elderhostel in 1975, the tour company now known as  Road Scholar  provides a range of tour options for lifelong learners with a focus on “boomers and beyond.” The not-for-profit organization has been offering programs for grandparents and their grandkids since 1985 and now has more than 80 learning adventures for family travelers of all ages. 

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Road Scholar’s  Grandparent and Family Programs  make multigenerational travel easy, allowing families to focus on spending time together and soaking in their destination. Road Scholar trip leaders and other experts take care of all the decisions and make sure that multigenerational travelers don’t miss any must-see or must-do experiences.

Popular tours for grandchildren and grandparents or for multigenerational family groups include a  wildlife-filled Costa Rica adventure , a  Galapagos excursion  where travelers can swim and snorkel with local sea creatures, a  tour through South Dakota  with a stop at Mount Rushmore and a  “Teenagers in Paris” tour  for grandparents and their adolescent grandkids. Tour descriptions indicate the activity level needed for participants to keep up with all the action.

Tours include lectures, field trips and hands-on experiences led by experts; all accommodations; most meals; and transportation and gratuities throughout the program. Participants also receive coverage under the  Road Scholar Assurance Plan , which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency and insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

11. VBT Bicycling Vacations

For families with older kids and teens interested in multigenerational travel,  VBT Bicycling Vacations  offers a range of biking tours where participants pedal through scenic destinations around the world, including  Italy ,  Croatia ,  British Columbia , and  Chile .

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VBT’s guided bike tours have two trip leaders, one who bikes with the group and one who drives the support van offering water, snacks and a ride for any travelers who need or want a break. Tours also include a bike and helmet, accommodations and most meals, admission fees to attractions and cultural activities.

Families confident in both their biking and navigation skills can opt for a  self-guided biking tour . These tours include accommodations, bikes, breakfast, route info and suggestions for local activities, but offer lots of flexibility and the ability to customize your experience. Tour descriptions include info on daily mileage covered and biking time as well as how challenging (or not) the local terrain will be. You can also add an  air package  for maximum ease.

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The tastes of Sicily west to east

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Tour highlights

Experience Palermo like a local with a street food city tour.

Stay among vineyards and olive groves at a working winery.

Learn to cook traditional dishes with a Sicilian Mamma.

Visit the summit of Mount Etna before enjoying a wine tasting lunch on its foothills.

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Arriving in Sicily, you're met at the airport and transferred by your private driver to your hotel in the nearby seaside town of Cefalù. You then have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to either rest after your flight or explore the town's winding medieval streets filled with shops and cafés.

Today you will learn about the history of Cefalù with your private guide before continuing to Abbazia Santa Anastasia, a converted medieval abbey turned winery where you can enjoy amazing views and a delicious wine paired lunch. Before returning to Cefalù, you will enjoy some free time in the charming village of Castelbuono, up in the Madonie foothills.

Today you will drive one hour into the vibrant city of Palermo with your driver. This city is a real melting pot of architecture, culture and of course food. With a private guide, you will delve into one of the city's bustling markets and enjoy a range of street food as well as taking in some of the main sites such as the Quatro Canti. After your tour, you will head back to Cefalù.

You will travel southwest today to the amazing La Foresteria Planeta wine estate just outside of Menfi. You will then have the day at leisure to explore the amazing grounds and facilities.

Today you can take your pick from a host of amazing experiences on offer at La Foresteria Planeta Estate, from wine tasting and cookery classes to gourmet bike tours. In addition to the panoramic outdoor pool and spa, for those wanting a more relaxed day you can visit the nearby Insula Beach Club.

Next stop an hour east is Agrigento, home to the Valley of the Temples UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will head first to settle into your accommodation at the intimate Fontes Episcopi agriturismo. Here you will enjoy a local cooking experience with a real Sicilian mamma and learn to make simple and authentic local dishes, before tucking into them. This evening you will visit the Valley of the Temples with your guide. You will take a gentle stroll down through the archaeological area, learning about the ruins of what was once the great city of Akragas founded in 581 BC with its five massive Doric temples for which the valley takes its name.

You will be fully immersed in everyday Sicilian life as you visit the ancient hilltop village of Sant’Angelo Muraxo. You will see the village's thriving community including a local farm, a woman who makes fresh Ricotta daily and a baker. You will of course be able to taste some samples too! The day culminates with a stop at a local home for some homemade food and wine.

You will journey east today through the Sicilian countryside to your next base, the tiny island of Ortigia. This one-kilometer square island forms the historic center of Syracuse and is linked to the rest of the city via two small bridges. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to settle into your charming hotel and explore the cobbled streets teaming with shops and cafés on Ortigia.

With your private guide today you will walk through the winding streets of Ortigia. You’ll visit the stunning Piazza del Duomo as well as the buzzing market area and learn about the island's historical heritage. Many fascinating ruins can also be found in the archaeological park on the mainland, where you will travel with your guide and driver. The most impressive is the 5th-century Teatro Greco, an ancient theater which sat 16,000 people and where many of the most famous Greek Tragedies were premiered.

Time to get active today and see the natural beauty of eastern Sicily with a guided walk through the Vendicari Nature Reserve. This reserve is the most visited in Sicily and certainly one of the most scenic. In addition to stunning landscapes, the reserve is a wildlife hotspot, particularly for bird species. Due to its location, many migratory birds stop here during their journey from Africa to Europe, species often seen include herons, egrets and flamingos. Loggerhead sea turtles are also native to the reserve, and they lay their eggs on the beaches. After your tour and perhaps a sea dip, if you wish, you will be transferred back to Ortigia.

This morning you will depart from your hotel with your private driver and head for the Baroque town of Noto, where you will have some time to explore. The main street is filled with Baroque architecture with impressive buildings such as the Duomo, Teatro Vittorio Emmanuele III and the Palazzo Ducezio. From Noto, your driver will take you to the picturesque seaside town of Marzamemi, where you will have free time for lunch. Afterwards, you will head to a local winery. You will tour the winery, learning about the production process before having the chance to sample some local wines, each perfectly paired with aperitivi or mini desserts. When you are finished at the winery your driver will drive you to your final base of Taormina.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest active volcano. With your guide and driver, you’ll drive around the base of the mountain before ascending. Once you’ve reached as far as you can by road, you will continue your journey by cable car to reach the upper slopes. From here you’ll jump in one of the all-terrain vehicles that take you up through the barren landscape to the dramatic craters at the summit. With a resident mountain guide, you will have chance for a short walk to view more of the landscape on foot. After heading back down, it will be time for some lunch. The rich volcanic soils here make the slopes of Etna excellent for wine production. You will be taken to a local winery for a tasting lunch.

Today, you will embark upon a scenic boat ride along the bay of Taormina, taking in sweeping views of the dramatic coastline, then head to Isola Bella, a tiny island off the coast of Sicily known for its biodiverse plant and marine life. You can enjoy time to swim, snorkeling or simply sunbathe. Later today you are at leisure and may wish to spend your time strolling around the center of Taormina which is rich with history and teaming with shops, cafés and restaurants.

Your private driver will take you to the airport in Catania for your departing flight.

Accommodation options

While the itinerary price reflects the suggested accommodations, Audley trips are 100% tailor-made, and a specialist can help you select the option best suited to your tastes and budget.

Hotel Le Calette No 5

La Foresteria Planeta Estate

Fontes Episcopi

Hotel Villa Athena

Hotel Foresteria Baglio della Luna

Algila Ortigia Charme Hotel

Villa Paradiso

Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea

Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo

View more accommodations in Taormina

Catania International Airport Hotel

• Cefalù

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Little Big Town celebrates 25 years as a band: 'We’ve lived a lot of life together'

After 25 years together as a band, Little Big Town is taking a moment to celebrate.

Just days before their performance for TODAY's Citi Concert Series , Little Big Town released their greatest hits album, featuring beloved tracks like "Bring It On Home" and "Wine, Beer, Whiskey," which they performed in Hoda's honor during her birthday bash on August 12.

Later this year, the band will reunite with longtime friends Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland for their joint "Take Me Home" tour, which kicks off in October.

Members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook formed Little Big Town in 1998, and they’ve stuck together — like glue, as Sugarland might say — ever since.

Needless to say, Little Big Town isn't slowing down anytime soon. Right now, they're focused on their fans.

Their greatest hits album is "mostly the songs that the fans gravitated toward over the years," Schlapman told Al Roker on TODAY.

"The record is for the fans that we've had for 25 years," she added.

Beyond their spectacular success in the country music industry, Little Big Town made a name for themselves with mainstream hits like “Girl Crush” and “Better Man,” which was famously penned by Taylor Swift.

As they embark on their next 25 years together, Little Big Town is still exploring new musical avenues, from a heartwarming cover of Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home” with Sugarland, to potential collaborations. (Chance the Rapper, they’re waiting on your call.)

Through it all, Little Big Town has remained as close as ever.

Fairchild, who wed Westbrook in 2006, once described Little Big Town as “one big marriage." As the band celebrates their proverbial silver jubilee, their chemistry is still undeniable.

After a long morning of singing in the summer heat, Little Big Town reflected on 25 years of life lessons, deep cuts, and collaborations for TODAY’s original video series “8 before 8."

Here's what they had to say.

How did you decide which songs to include in your greatest hits album?

Fairchild: We tried to just like, think about what the fans would want on the greatest hits. And so we went through the records and just, you know, the obvious ones had to go on there, and then we picked a couple of deep cuts that we really love like "Shut Up Train." Kelsea Ballerini is the guest on that one. And then of course we had to do "Take Me Home" with Sugarland, because we just got to do it one time — and now today twice. And we're touring with them. And then Miranda sang on "Little White Church," because we always sing that with her on The Bandwagon Tour.

How does it feel to celebrate 25 years as a band?

Westbrook: 25 years, Phil. How does it feel?

Sweet: It was a quick 25.

Fairchild: It feels great.

Westbrook: We're glad to be making music.

Sweet: We get another day to do it again.

Does the band feel like ‘one big marriage’?

Westbrook: It is kind of like one big marriage — as long as Philip and I do what we're told, everything works fine.

Schlapman: Simple as that.

Sweet: Open the door.

Westbrook: Carry the luggage.

Sweet: Pay for dinner.

Which of your deep cuts do you wish got more love?

Fairchild: Oh, there's not enough show...

Westbrook: Can we do a whole album of those?

Sweet: Our manager's favorite is "Leaving in Your Eyes."

What’s one important lesson you’ve learned from each other?

Sweet: Be more patient with yourself.

Schlapman: I feel like we've learned a lot about each other. I think if we look back 25 years ago, we worked so well together, but now we just fit so well.

Westbrook: We've lived a lot of life together.

Schlapman: We understand each other, and we take care of each other, and we root for each other. That's kind of what we've learned from each other as we've gone on this 25 year journey.

A question from singer Maggie Rogers : What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Fairchild: That's a good question, and I love her music so much.

Schlapman: She's amazing. You know what I was thinking about the other day? I was somewhere where they were having karaoke, and I said to my husband, "What if I got up there and started singing 'Girl Crush'?" Just with a hat on or something, so nobody knew.

Fairchild: I don't know how you'd get a hat on over that hair. But that would be great.

Sweet: (gesturing to Fairchild) You and I did "Cruising Together."

Fairchild: I did sing "Girl Crush" at karaoke with Kelsea Ballerini at a bar one night. Which was fun. I wasn't all gussied up.

Westbrook: The first time I ever sang karaoke, I picked "Livin' On A Prayer." You don't want to do that. There's a key change that you forget about.

Schlapman: I've actually never done karaoke — ever.

Fairchild: Oh, we're fixing that.

A question for Chance the Rapper:

Fairchild: If you could collaborate with a country artist, who would it be?

Sweet: (singing) Take a chance, take a chance, take-a take-a chance chance...

Rapid fire round:

East coast or west coast.

Schlapman: East coast.

Westbrook: West coast, sorry — weather!

Fairchild: Oh, I thought we were talking about rap music.

Sweet: I'm West.

Beach or mountains?

Fairchild and Westbrook : Beach.

Schlapman and Sweet : Mountains.

Big city or small town?

Schlapman and Sweet : Small town.

Fairchild: Big city.

Westbrook: Maybe both? Back and forth?

Sweet: Does suburbia count?

Associate Lifestyle Reporter

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USA Tour Companies

List of usa travel companies & tour operators with 194464 reviews.

Bindlestiff Tours

• Excellent - 1,562 reviews for USA tours

Hogan was our excellent guide. We were a family of 8 ranging in age from teens to mid sixties of varying hiking ability and were all able to enjoy a wide range of activities. We paid extra for hotel accommodations and found it well worth it although, if everyone is willing to sleep in tents, you can save a lot and have basically the same adventure.

Trip of a lifetime! These guys know what they are doing. This trip was to celebrate my Mom's 90th birthday - she loves the southwest National Parks and Bindlestiff Tours absolutely hit the mark! It's a busy holiday - but you get to see so much. Our guide, John (The Boss ;-)) was phenomenal - the best! He knew so much about the areas and brought us together as a group (he has great taste in music too), but he helped make the tour so enjoyable. He made everything so easy for us just to enjoy the whole experience. We didn't have to think about transport as he drove us, we'd arrive at the national park - straight in and paid for, ideas for hikes that each group of us could realistically achieve. Lunch was provided, we just walked in and out of hotel rooms, ideas for restaurants too. Having done my own 'road trip' holidays before, this tour took so much of the organisation out of it and we enjoyed every minute. Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Monument Valley, Antelope canyon and Grand Canyon....then there were the extra visits to Route 66, sunsets and sunrises - all amazing experiences and memories!! We were so fortunate to have a lovely group of fellow travellers - ranging from teenagers to 90 and we all got along whilst doing our own thing too. This tour had travellers on their - which is something that I am considering now as it's a bit of company but you can still do your own thing. I am so grateful to all involved who helped us have such a wonderful time. Many thanks!

Southwest Adventure Tours

• Excellent - 108 reviews for USA tours

Maggy and Vassil's wonderful Magnifisent Alaska Tour with Southwest Adventure Tours! July 2024 The trip was awesome.The itinerary was very well planned. The places we visited were spectacular/you can enjoy the photos/. All of the above is due to our guide - Daniel(Dan) Sachse, He is a very experience tour guide with good driving skill. His knowledge of Alaska, its nature, history and culture made our trip wonderful. He is consummately friendly and courteous, always with a smile on his face. He created a very friendly atmosphere in our group. He was always cheerful, enthusiastic and showed great concern for the welfare of our group. A first class tour leader! Thank you, Southwest Adventure Tours and Dan for the fantastic trip!

This was my 1st solo group trip & felt safe & comfortable. The tour guide was so friendly, warm & knowledgeable! I really enjoyed my little Mighty 5 adventure!

• Excellent - 1,013 reviews for USA tours

The tour was overally amazing. I had a really fun experience and I would recommend this to anyone wanting to experience the west coast. However, the itinerary did start to fall flat from day 3. There was sooo much traveling and not enough sigh-seeing in my opinion.

If you plan on doing the Vegas and Best of the West Tour, don’t. It is basically two three day tour that has been mashed together. My tour guide for the first half of the tour (Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Valley of Fire) was passive aggressive and incredibly condescending. I understand she was speaking three different languages but she missed telling the English speaking people a critical piece of information, and when i told her what she did, she would not believe me and was incredibly rude to me, to the point it made me cry. The second tour guide for the last half of the trip was the same, attacking me when i made the point that i had already seen most of the things, and accusing me of not being grateful If you are an English speaking person and want to go on this trip- don’t. They cater almost exclusively to Italian people who speak no English. It will be an extremely lonely experience.

G Adventures

• Excellent - 22,568 reviews for USA tours

Exciting and enjoyable.

Great time and experience

• Excellent - 5,726 reviews for USA tours

The tour was amazing, the manager did a top notch job, it’s great for making lots of friends, such a blast. A little rushed and fast paced, but it’s better than the stress of organising your own trip. Definitely doing it again

I thought it was great and would do it again any time!

Intrepid Travel

• Excellent - 11,800 reviews for USA tours

Britt I the tour leader was obviously passionate about her work.

THis was our first touring experience and it was great. With the exception of a cancelled flight going to the tour and some miss communication in the beginning of when we would get there, it was fantastic. Our guide was great and well organized.

• Excellent - 938 reviews for USA tours

The tour guide gave conflicting information to different people which caused us to have to take an Uber from our hotel to the restaurant for dinner and then the bus (that was at the hotel) proceeded to take others from the hotel to the restaurant.

This is a trip of a lifetime ! We travelled from New York to Los Angeles and had a ball. This country has so much going for it! So much to see! The coach was brilliant, comfortable and fully air conditioned. Tour director Jon and driver Sam were exceptional, knowledgeable and helpful. Anybody looking to see America, we would recommend this tour. Lots of free time with special places like the Elvis experience and the hotels were brilliant! We will be back for another USA tour in the next couple of years! can’t wait!

BrushBuck Wildlife Tours

• Excellent - 24 reviews for USA tours

Neil our guide was amazing, my husband and I had a great time.

Ronnie and I loved the tour. Our guide Rachel, was extremely professional in her work. Full of knowledge about different animals as well as some history lessons. It took me a while, but they are called bison , not buffalo. ? But what really blew my mind, was her keen eye on the landscape as she was driving. She could spot animals very well, and gave us many opportunities to take photos and look through the high powered scope. Rachel is surely a people person, jumping right in there to become friends with strangers, laughing and carrying on with us. Even when we were all getting excited about stopping to see the two grizzly bears mating, questions being tossed at her. She was calm and gave answers and instructions like a mother with her children. ?? Not that we’d tell our young kids what was going on. They were the hugging bears. ?? It pays to ask someone on the road what they are looking at, and that video Rachel captured is priceless. Guys, pay attention! ? She was a very safe driver as we encountered many elements of weather. She also sent us pictures and videos from her scope of the many, many, animals we saw. I would highly recommend this tour, it’s worth every penny. The hotels were awesome and cute, especially in Cooke City Montana. It was as if we were going back to the early days. The restaurants were good and Rachel even recommended good eats. Met some wonderful people and will always cherish this trip, as we witnessed God’s creation. Thanks again. Ronnie and Mary Jane from Wharton Texas. See y’all. ?

Insight Vacations

• Excellent - 652 reviews for USA tours

The 40 seat luxury coach broke down at the end of day 1 of our 9 day Insight Vacations Wonders of the American West coach tour in May. It was replaced for the rest of our tour by a 56 seater coach with significantly less legroom, and seatbelts that didn’t have the side adjuster that enables you to stop the belt rubbing into your neck if you’re a certain body shape. For us, the reason for choosing Insight was their luxury coach, so every day on the 56 seater was a reminder that (to use a flying analogy) we had paid for business class and were getting economy class. We had booked through a travel agent because we’d read the online reviews warning of Insight’s poor communication. The travel agent Freedom Destinations, who supported us, put forward our complaint to Insight. Insight sympathised but cited their terms and conditions that don’t require them to replace the luxury coach with one of the same quality. To an extent I understand that they need to cover themselves for an instance where a luxury replacement isn’t available on the day of the breakdown, but not to provide one at any stage of the remainder of our tour feels like either poor contingency planning or cost-saving. Insight refused our request for a cash payment as compensation. Instead they offered a discount voucher for use on a future trip. We declined the voucher as we do not believe it to be fair to only offer compensation that is dependent upon customers re-using a service, and our faith in their organisation and their coach suppliers Holiday Motor Coach has been broken. Such a shame, because the sights on the trip were wonderful, as were the people we travelled with. 1 star to highlight the risks associated with a breakdown to other potential customers for whom the luxury coach is important.

Overall it was a good experience. Excellent tour director and driver. The food was inconsistent as to quality and service. The lodgings were fine for the type of trip. Too much time was spent at Monument Valley/Mystery valley and not enough time at Grand Canyon.

• Excellent - 1,966 reviews for USA tours

Would like to have walked down the main street of Chinatown. We're very disappointed in the side street we walked on. If you are going to offer snacks, please make sure all can participate. Found it a little offensive that even after the second day of not being able to receive a snack, all the same snacks were continually offered.

Extraordinary experience!!!! I’ll never forget!! Thank you so much for this great opportunity.

Bamba Travel

• Good - 1,697 reviews for USA tours

The itinerary provided by tour radar was not exactly how the tour was set up. One of our stops said we would be doing a cruise on lake Powell. That was not provided with the tour. Also the hotels that they said we would be staying at did not line up.

Overall, the tour was very fun and we'll put together. The tour guides were all friendly, and seemed to work well as a team. Accomodations were not bad, but there were better options directly adjacent. Food options were pretty much all fast food, which makes sense for the tour concept. However, dinner options could have been a bit better. We really would have appreciated a little more hiking and exploring time, and a couple of the guides did the best to accommodate that. However, 20 minute stops are just not enough time to get "out and experience" the areas.

Europamundo

• Good - 4,378 reviews for USA tours

On the first leg from Chicago to Niagara Falls, we had an excellent travel companion in a modern Mercedes coach. Later we continued from Niagara Falls to New York, Philadelphia and Washington. The now large coaches were regularly too cold, so that the passengers sometimes had to "warm" themselves with jackets and long pants. One major drawback, however, was that there was no WiFi available from Niagara Falls onwards. That is actually a shame. Nevertheless, all the tour guides made a great effort. The hotels were also "okay" to "good". Thank you very much for this trip, we met very nice people from all over the world.

Wonderful tour! Highly recommend

• Excellent - 19,705 reviews for USA tours

Amazing venues with the best tour guide!

This is a long overdue review and I don’t know why I didn’t take the time to write this before. This Ontario and French Canada tour with Susan was amazing. Everything was well organized and enough time were spent at each attraction. Totally have no complaints!

On The Go Tours

• Excellent - 3,005 reviews for USA tours

Our tour guide was well informed, very familiar with her route and could answer all questions. She was also well organized and the whole trip went without a flaw Geetha and Jose Mathew

National Geographic Journey…

• Excellent - 270 reviews for USA tours

Trip on balance was a positive experience and I would do it again. The key negative was the Golden Nugget hotel which added nothing positive to the trip. The hotel was past its prime, and was too busy and loud. The rest of the accommodations were good.

Good time with lots of riding in the van going to interesting places

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A Week in Tokyo: From Mt. Fuji to Nikko

9 days   |   12 days with Osaka & Kyoto extension

4.8 out of 5 stars

Want the Tokyo experience? Dive right into its inimitable culture.

Trite as the saying may be, there’s truly no place like Tokyo—and the best way to tap into its extraordinary energy is by letting it wash over you. On this city experience, you’ll base in the Japanese capital, mixing local sightseeing (think: Senso-ji and Shibuya) with picture-perfect day trips (hi there, Mount Fuji). Think it’s all concrete and neon? The pristine landscapes of Kawaguchiko and Nikko beg to differ. And when it’s time to bow out, a bullet train ride’s all that separates you from an enriching extension in Osaka and Kyoto.

Your tour package includes

• 7 nights in handpicked hotels
• 7 breakfasts
• 1 dinner with beer or wine
• Wine, beer, sake & tea tastings
• 6 sightseeing tours
• Expert Tour Director & local guides
• Private deluxe motor coach

Included highlights

• Tokyo’s Senso-ji temple
• Japanese tea ceremony
• Shibuya & teamLab Art Museum
• Views of Mount Fuji
• Yamanashi wine tasting
• The Great Buddha of Kamakura
• Yokohama’s Chinatown & Sankeien Garden

Overnight Flight 1 night

Day 1: travel day.

Board your overnight flight to Tokyo today.

Tokyo 7 nights

Day 2: arrival in tokyo.

Welcome to Japan! After arriving in Tokyo, make the short transfer to your hotel with your groupmates. You’ll touch down later in the evening, so use the rest of your day to settle into your room, grab a bite to eat, catch up on sleep, and look forward to the rest of your journey.

Start planning today

Our travel experts are here to help.

We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.

Asakusa View Hotel Annex

This beautiful hotel is located in Tokyo’s Taito City. Guests enjoy the fitness center, impressive city views, and the on-site restaurant serving both Japanese and western cuisines. Nearby, you’ll find the Samurai Ninja Museum,...

Osaka Excel Tokyu

This sleek hotel is located in the heart of Osaka. Guests enjoy amazing city views, a fitness center, and free amenities in the rooms. Nearby you'll find the Namba Shrine, the Sujikai Bridge Monument, and the Shinsaibashi...

Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.

Add our airfare and you’ll get:

• Round-trip flight for your tour
• Airport transfers at your destination
• A great price locked in today
• 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
• Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
• Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes

Find out more about flights

• In order to enter Japan, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of return.
• We recommend having at least two blank passport pages for entry stamps.
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact Japan’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code TWE.
• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Tokyo (or depart from Osaka on the tour extension).
• Transfers to and from the airport at the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
• When you arrive in Tokyo, a Go Ahead representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a Go Ahead sign or a sign with your name(s). If you don’t see a representative immediately, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.

Physical Activity Level

This is a moderate physical activity-level tour. You can expect to be on the move on a regular basis throughout the course of the tour.

Tour Pacing

This is a steady-paced tour. The pace of a tour itinerary considers how often you’ll switch hotels, the amount of planned daily activities, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:

• One 1-night stay
• 3 full days of included activities (more if you add excursions)
• Most transportation by motor coach
• About 3 hours of bus time daily

Walking, Terrain & Physical Requirements

• Travelers should be prepared to walk 2-3 miles per day—this includes city streets, cobblestones, stairs, and hills.
• Stone walkways may be slippery even when dry.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
• Please Note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.

Climate Considerations

• Temperatures range from 40sF in winter to low-80sF in summer, with occasional heatwaves in the summer months (June-September).
• Summer is the rainy season in Japan and travelers should expect hot, humid days.

Physical Activity & Tour Pace Questions

• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The rest of the group cannot miss any scheduled activities because of the needs of an individual.
• Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers will be difficult to use and are not recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring these on tour with you.
• If you have mobility concerns or tour pacing questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team.
• This tour includes various modes of transportation, including plane and private motor coach. Some modes of transportation will have raised platforms or steps and often not provide access to ramps or lifts.
• A train ride from Tokyo to Osaka is included in the price of the tour extension.
• All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• Travelers must be able to manage their luggage throughout tour; porters aren’t guaranteed at hotels and airports.
• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It’s preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs or shoulders. Entrance may be denied on this basis.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using a hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
• In case of emergencies, we also recommend packing your medical insurance card in your carry-on.
• Go Ahead handpicks every hotel you’ll stay at, striking a balance between comfort, location, and local charm.
• Specific properties will vary based on your departure date, but are typically three-to-four-star hotels; always include private bathrooms; and usually have in-room safes for valuables. Additionally, your hotels will have Wi-Fi, but access may be limited to common areas. There may also not be elevators.
• Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with your hotels once they’ve been confirmed, about 30 days prior to departure.
• Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets; as such, our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.
• Please be advised that the air conditioning in Asian hotels and buildings is often not as strong or cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada.
• Japan operates on 100 volts and uses a Type A plug, the same as in the U.S.
• Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.
• Onsens, or hot spring baths, are a huge part of the Japanese lifestyle. With more than 3,600 hot springs across the country, locals and visitors alike make visiting an onsen a priority. Guests should be aware of onsen etiquette before visiting.
• Guests will undress and leave their belongings in the locker room before entering the bathing room. Some onsens are starting to offer policies for the more modest guest, but they are still not common.
• Guests must wash and rinse themselves completely before entering a shared baths. Be mindful of otherwise while washing yourself so as not to spray others in the bathing room.
• A small white bathing towel will sometimes be provided or available to rent, and are used as a cover-up, to wash your body, and dry yourself. Shampoo and soap are commonly provided, but many guests bring their own.
• Keep your bathing towel with you at all times. Most guests fold the towel and keep it near them while in the baths, or keep it folded up on top of their heads. The bathing towel must never touch the bath water.
• Hair should be worn up and should not your towel or the water.
• Onsens are a relaxing and tranquil experience, be sure to speak quietly and be respectful of others who are relaxing. There is no swimming, diving, or running in the baths.
• You may soak, exit, and reenter the baths at your leisure. It is recommended you don't spend more than 30 minutes in the baths.
• Dry off completely before entering the locker room to change back into your clothes.
• Be sure to check an onsens tattoo policy before visiting. While many onsens are becoming more relaxed about tattoos, and some offer cover-up patches or private baths for those with tattoos, there are still many that do not allow guests with tattoos. While most people in Japan do not have an issue with tattoos themselves, many establishments keep conservative business practices surrounding tattoos being visible.
• Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
• We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
• Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
• Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).
• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
• Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center for more information or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
• This tour includes 3 lunches and 1 dinner: They may be set menus, buffets, or family-style meals, depending on the location. Dinners also include one glass of beer, wine, or a soft drink, as well as water, coffee, and tea.
• Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
• Most Japanese meals are based around rice or noodles with fish, meat, and vegetables flavored with soy sauce and miso. You may recognize popular dishes, like sushi, tempura, and hot pot.
• At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in USD.
• We recommend tipping $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
• The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
• You will use the Japanese yen in Japan.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you don’t already have at least one card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your Tour Director, local guides, and bus drivers.
• To help you feel prepared before traveling on tour, we strongly recommend downloading the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. It’s free and provides information about important deadlines and entry requirements, as well as your detailed itinerary, packing tips, and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the app’s chat feature.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
• Your Tour Director will be leading your group throughout your journey. You will have the same Tour Director throughout your tour.
• The role of the Tour Director is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each days’ activities and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and cannot provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is our on tour emergency support team.
• Our extensive network of offices around the world, and our integration of ISO 31000: Risk Management Guidelines, help our dedicated 24/7 Emergency Service teams anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible and iterative way.
• This team supports travelers and Tour Directors using a combination of extensive training, simulations, incident response planning, and decades of experience to help manage emergencies if they arise, ranging from personal health concerns or injuries to major world events.
• As needed, On Tour Support can facilitate additional support for travelers on tour, arrange assistance from outside specialists, and liaise with local and international authorities to help solve on-the-ground issues. In addition, the team is dedicated to supporting and facilitating communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency while on the road or at home.
• Japan is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 14 hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it’s noon on Monday in New York, it’s 1am on Tuesday in Japan.
• When you travel with Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer.
• Travel, when done responsibly, can have an enormous socioeconomic impact on communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at small businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend.
• Prepare for your trip: Be aware of monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market; learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette; and take some time to learn a few words in the local language.
• When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind.
• Go Ahead Tours encourages travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single-use plastics. You can cut back on generating plastic waste by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle.

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Designed for Small Groups

14-24 travelers.

With an average of 19 travelers (maximum 24), make friends, form connections, and immerse yourself in the destination.

Accomodations

Hotel schmotel. Stay in igloos, tented camps, and villas - places where the big groups can't go.

Local Expertise

Traveling with local experts means uncovering hidden wows and getting the cultural inside scoop.

Not in the Guidebook

Check off the must-see sights as well as countless moments you couldn't find in any guidebook.

40+ Small Group Journeys

Let's shout it from the rooftops: our tours are designed just for smaller groups. What does that mean? Access to restaurants like that hole-in-the-wall place the locals go. Sleeping in accommodations that will make your friends all wildly jealous (anyone for some zzz's in a tented camp in the Sahara... which you'll get to by camel!?). Chase your curiosity on a journey just for small groups.

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WHAT SETS EXPLORATIONS APART?

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If ancient ruins, archaeological sites, historic cities, and iconic architecture are things you can get excited about — we’ll save you a seat.

Culturally Curious

You don’t shy away from intense conversations and you love to ask questions — traveling is your favorite way to learn about other people and ways of life.

Living in the Moment

Seize the day is one of your mantras. You’re ready to dive in and live each day to its fullest — whether that means traveling through the Sahara on camelback or tasting the Hákarl (shark meat) in Iceland.

Explorers…and Friends

Your favorite part about traveling? The people you meet. Fellow travelers, guides, and locals make each journey worth it, every step of the way.

Savvy confident travelers

This isn’t your first rodeo. You’re just wise enough to know that when you travel with the experts, you’ll get more out of your trip.

Ready for Anything

Ziplining in Costa Rica? Sure. Tango lessons in Buenos Aires? Okay. Snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef? Let’s go!

Featured Tours

Explorations

Essence of France Paris, Provence & the French Riviera

$3,094 pp* $3,399 pp.

The Azores Jewels of Portugal

Colors of Morocco

$3,959 pp* $4,399 pp.

A Taste of the Balkans featuring Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina & Slovenia

African Safari: Kenya and Tanzania

Costa Rica: A World of Nature featuring Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano & Manuel Antonio National Park

$6,999 pp* $7,499 pp.

Wilderness of Southern Africa: Safari by Land & Water

Australia and New Zealand Uncovered

$3,499 pp* $3,799 pp, wonders of thailand discovering ancient wonders and natural beauty from bangkok to phuket, old world sicily & malta, $3,399 pp* $3,699 pp.

Majestic Cities of Central & Eastern Europe featuring Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest & Krakow

Watch: explorations around the world, journeys worth sharing.

When you go, capture all those incredible moments, and use the hashtag #GoCollette so that we can share your joy!

100% of our Explorations tours are carbon neutral… because we 100% love our world and know that you do, too. Plus, all Explorations tours include an Impact Moment – visits to social enterprises, nonprofits, and cultural or environmental conservation groups. These experiences create sustainable economic and social benefits for the community.

Now, that’s travel that’s good.

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Union Pacific

Emergencies:

• UP Emergencies: 1-888-877-7267
• Communities

Emergencies: 1-888-877-7267

Union Pacific Steam Schedule

Keep safety top of mind.

• Stay back at least 25 feet from all railroad tracks. This includes drones.
• Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and right of way are private property -  do not trespass.
• Never assume tracks are abandoned or inactive - ALWAYS expect a train .
• Be a safe and considerate driver - do not pace the train .
• Be Aware of the Environment : While we strive to provide access to all guests, Big Boy is positioned in a working rail environment with uneven walking surfaces that may create difficulty for accessibility.

Read more safety tips

Heartland of America Tour

Big Boy No. 4014 will depart on the "Heartland of America Tour" on Wednesday, Aug. 28 from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and travel across nine additional states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October. No. 4014 will be on display in the following locations:  

• Sunday, Sept. 8: Rochelle, Illinois (Chicago metro area)
• Sunday, Oct. 6: Houston, Texas
• Thursday/Friday, Oct. 10-11: Fort Worth, Texas

Notice to fans

Note: All schedule times and locations are subject to change. The Big Boy can run ahead or behind schedule, based on conditions. Please check back periodically for updates and be aware there is no public access to the Big Boy outside these listed stops. Overnight stops are closed to the public unless otherwise noted; arrival times at overnight locations are not available. Questions about the route? Check out our Steam Locomotive Tracking map , which has the planned route highlighted.

You can also view the route on our interactive Steam Location Tracking map.

Key Definitions 

On Display Admission to display days are free (no tickets required), though parking at surrounding parking facilities may involve a charge. These are the best times to see the Big Boy.

Viewing Only Locations where fans can safely view the Big Boy. In some cases, the Big Boy will be displayed behind a fence or other perimeter. 

Passenger Excursion  Opportunities to ride are rare, but when they are available as a fundraiser for charitable groups, they are listed on this schedule. Any passenger excursion tickets are sold by outside entities -- not Union Pacific -- and are not available on the day of the excursion.  There will not be a passenger excursion during the Heartland of America tour, though there will be an exciting opportunity to ride in the Big Boy's cab! As part of the tour, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum will be auctioning off four cab rides on Big Boy No. 4014, with proceeds going to two worthy causes: the Union Pacific Museum Association and Union Pacific’s Friend-to-Friend Network, a nonprofit that benefits railroad families in times of need, such as medical or natural disaster hardships. The auction starts Monday, Aug. 12 and ends Monday, Aug. 19. Details can be found at https://rarauctions.com/upm .

Overnight Stops Locations where the Big Boy stops overnight are closed to the public due to safety and security reasons, unless otherwise noted on the schedule. Non-employees who access these locations without permission will be treated as trespassers. Afternoon arrival times are not available.

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Westward Bound Tour

Earlier this summer, Union Pacific's legendary Big Boy No. 4014  toured in five states during its 2024 Westward Bound Tour from Wyoming to California. In addition, this mighty steam locomotive was on public display for two days each in Roseville, California and Ogden, Utah. During the tour, the Union Pacific Museum  hosted a special, sold-out passenger trip from Roseville to Sparks, Nevada. The unique experience was the annual gala fundraiser for the nonprofit organization and provided a rare opportunity to travel on this historic heritage equipment. In all, Big Boy No. 4014 will visit 14 of the 23 states Union Pacific serves in 2024.

Union Pacific Steam Club

To be notified when news about Union Pacific's legendary steam program becomes available, join the Official Union Pacific Steam Club at http://UP.com/SteamClub !  Steam club members always get notified first when news about Union Pacific's steam program is released!

Future Schedules

Last fall, we had anticipated including Boise, Idaho, and Portland, Oregon on the Westward Bound tour. As planning continued, we determined that the network capacity on our northern corridor could not accommodate Big Boy No. 4014 along with anticipated demand on a single track. Our goal is to share the Big Boy with as many rail fans as possible across our network, and we look forward to seeing everyone track side – 25 feet back – this fall.

Section Menu

• UP No. 844 - The Living Legend
• UP No. 4014 - The Big Boy
• Steam Schedule
• UP CARES About Your Safety
• UP Steam Club
• UP Steam Locomotive Tracking

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Yelets city, Russia

The city of Lipetsk oblast .

Yelets - Overview

Yelets or Elets is a city in the Lipetsk region of Russia, located 78 km to the west of Lipetsk, 450 km from Moscow.

The population of Yelets is about 99,200 (2022), the area - 70 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 47467, the postal codes - 399770-399788.

Elets city flag

Elets city coat of arms.

Elets city map, Russia

Elets city latest news and posts from our blog:.

14 May, 2019 / Yelets - the view from above .

1 March, 2018 / Yelets - the magic of provincial Russia .

History of Yelets

The official year of Yelets foundation is 1146. It is the year when the fortress was first mentioned in Nikonovskaya chronicle. After being destroyed several times, Yelets fortress was reconstructed in 1592, together with other fortresses on southern boundaries of the Muscovite state, and became the origin of present day city.

In 1708, local blacksmiths were registered at the ship-building branch of Azov gubernia. From 1719, Yelets became part of Oryol gubernia. Bread and meat trade was developed in the town. In the second half of the 18th century, it became a large trade and industrial center of the region. Tanning industry was developed to such an extent that Yelets was called the “Capital of Boots” of the Russian Empire.

By the mid 19th century, Yelets could compete with a lot of Russian towns in its importance. The population was about 25,000. Most of the residents worked at different plants. The town had an excellent trade square, 3 schools, a hospital, a hotel, a restaurant, 16 churches, a monastery and a convent.

By the end of the 19th century, trade and industrial importance of Yelets decreased, but it grew into a large railway hub. The highway from Moscow to Voronezh crossed the town.

The famous writer and poet Ivan Bunin spent his childhood in Yeletsky district of Oryol gubernia. He attended a gymnasium there, visited the town quite often and described it in his works.

Yelets laces made the town world-famous. They were remarkable for their small vegetable and geometrical pattern contrasting with delicate openwork background.

During the World War II, Yelets was occupied by the German army from December 4 till December 9, 1941. When Orel city was occupied, Yelets received the status of the regional center.

In 2007, Yelets received the status of the City of Military Glory.

Yelets views

Yelets entrance sign

Author: Kovyrshin

Yelets city view

Yelets scenery

Author: Matveyev Konstantin

Yelets - Features

The City Day of Yelets is celebrated on the first Sunday in September.

Yelets is one of the oldest cities in Russia, with a rich cultural and historical heritage. It is the only city in the Lipetsk region, which is in the list of cities of the Russian Federation with valuable historical town-planning ensembles and complexes.

The climate in the city is temperate continental with moderately cold winters, warm and sunny, and sometimes hot and sultry summers. The average summer temperature is +20 degrees Celsius, -10 degrees C in winter.

The main industries are as follows: mining (lime-stone mining at open-cast mines); machine-building; construction; chemical; light (“Yelets laces” - traditional local handicraft known worldwide); food (Yelets sugar-producing plant built in 1965).

The federal highways M4 Moscow - Novorossiysk and R119 Oryol - Tambov run through the city.

Attractions of Yelets

There are about 230 monuments of history and culture, 90 of them are of regional and federal importance. Nevertheless, it is considered that the main value of Yelets is not in separate monuments, but the whole architectural design of the city. The present names of streets in the central part are dubbed with the historical ones.

Yelets has a museum of local study with several branches: I.A.Bunin, T.N.Khrennikov, N.N.Zhukov houses-estates, a folk handicrafts museum and an art museum.

Resurrection Church, built by the architect Konstantin Ton’s design in 1845-1889, is one of the main sights. It is one of the largest churches in Russia.

One can’t help admiring Znamensky Monastery on Kamennaya (Stony) Hill which recently lay in ruins. Today, it is almost completely restored.

A lot of monuments of church architecture are presented here - about 20 churches (10 of them are open) and 2 monasteries.

At present, much has been done to attract tourists to this historic city. But it is still not an easy task because of lack of infrastructure and bad roads.

Yelets places

Central square in Yelets

Author: Kornev Valeriy

Fire tower in Yelets

Author: Maksim Yashin

University in Yelets

Author: M.Stanislav

Yelets - Information for tourists

The following information will be useful, if you are going to visit Yelets as a tourist.

Souvenirs and Gifts in Yelets

• Yelets merchant shop (Mira Street, 121),
• Shop “Kovka-decor” (Kommunarov Street, 57),
• Souvenir shop “Yelets souvenirs” (Sovetskaya, 75),
• Shop “Yelets lace” (Mira Street, 121), Handicraft shop (Mira Street, 114).

Yelets lace makers

• Factory “Yelets Lace”. Address: Mira Street, 22. Tel .: 8 47467 2 02 05, 8 910 742 11 22
• “Kruzhevnoy Krai”. Doprizyvnikov Street, 1. 8 910 354 85 28
• Production cooperative “Kruzhel”. Sovetskaya Street, 61. 8 904 295 83 80.

Yelets museums

• Yelets Museum of Local Lore (Lenin Street, 99),
• Art Museum (Sovetskaya Street, 70),
• House Museum of T.N. Khrennikov (Mayakovsky Street, 16),
• House Museum of N.N. Zhukov (9 Dekabrya Street, 42),
• Museum of Folk Arts and Crafts (Lenin Street, 68),
• Literary-Memorial Museum of I.A. Bunin (Gorky Street, 16),
• Archaeological Museum (Karl Marx Street, 2),
• Museum of Military Glory (Kommunarov Street, 28),
• Sports Museum (Doprizyvnikov Street, 1a),
• Military-Historical Museum (Oktyabrskaya Street, 141),
• Museum of Yelets Lace (Oktyabrskaya Street, 108),
• Museum of the History of the USSR and Soviet-era Symbols (Sovetskaya Street, 56).

Elets city of Russia photos

Streets of yelets.

Yelets street

Yelets street view

Architecture of Yelets

Yelets architecture

Church of the Yelets Icon of the Mother of God

Ascension Cathedral in Yelets

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