Group Travel can be a little confronting if it's your first time. It brings forth visions of garish umbrellas, conveyor-belt photo ops, and exhausted hordes jostling for a moment’s personal space. The good news is, small group tours with Inspiring Journeys include none of those things. It’s not a typical package holiday but a personalised journey wrapped in luxury.

 Previous travel experiences with friends, family and loved ones have taught you what you like and what you don’t, but these trips don’t begin to shed light on what you have not yet experienced: luxury small group tours. If you’re undecided on small group travel, read on to discover 6 surprising benefits that could convince even the staunchest independent explorers.

Intimate group sizes

In the tourism industry, the term ‘small group tour’ is thrown around to describe groups of up to 50 passengers, but small group tours with Inspiring Journeys never exceed 20 passengers. We feel that 20 people is just the right amount to slip into backstreet eateries, find space to relax, and create connections with locals and each other that will translate into moments that you will treasure forever.

Like-minded travelling companions

The guests we welcome onto our Inspiring Journey’s coaches are diverse in age, ethnicity and lifestyle, and therefore, the unique life experience of each passenger brings a new layer of perspective to your holiday. Most are Australian residents but many began life in far-flung corners of the globe so you can expect to be learning a wealth of history and knowledge from not only your Travel Director, but from enthusiastic travellers as well.

Whatever the reason for your journey –  whether it be a personal pilgrimage or an unticked item on a lengthy bucket list – everyone on the tour has one thing in common: they’ve chosen to share their travel experience with others.

Many of our guests leave with lifelong friends, so share a piece of yourself and expect laughs, snacks, deep connections and unforgettable memories in return.

Learning from a local

When you’re trying to get under the skin of a destination in a limited timeframe, it is best to enlist the help of a local. Our Journey Directors and Driver Guides are the difference between a good tour and an unforgettable experience. Their passion and knowledge will be your go-to source for all things history, culture and nature, as well as taking care of the time-consuming aspects like organising tickets and check-ins.  

With a small group, you’ll always be able to hear your guide and ask questions. Plus, they’re on hand to help you customise your journey, even at the last minute.

Authentic experiences off-the-beaten-track

Our  guests often tell us that the best part about their small group tour was the places they’d never thought to visit and the people they wouldn’t have otherwise met. Inspiring Journeys include the highlights of an area but they also veer off the tourist trail to give you a real taste of authentic local experiences . Historic towns, nature trails, local dining and cultural experiences that aren’t found in global guidebooks provide unexpected moments that are not easy to discover as an independent traveller.

Touring with a touch of luxe

Joining a small group tour doesn’t mean you have to go without home comforts. We believe that holidays are a time to feel pampered and a chance to have someone else do the legwork while you put your feet up. Inspiring Journeys itineraries are designed to ensure your experience is every bit the luxury you deserve, from exclusive experiences, customisations, exceptional cuisine and world-class accommodation. It’s luxury worth leaving home for.

Take only memories, leave only footprints

Travel is an incredible gift. It has the ability to open our eyes, hearts and minds to the unique cultures and natural  beauty of the world. But with this gift comes a responsibility to protect the world for future generations. When you travel in a small group, you minimise the environmental impact caused by independent travel. We place conservation and sustainability at the heart of every trip and partner with accommodation providers that take responsible tourism seriously.

Furthermore, we are active partners with the TreadRight Foundation where we support initiatives to safeguard the planet, wildlife and people in the places we visit. Learn more about our sustainability ethos here. 

Need more convincing to join a journey worth sharing?

The shared camaraderie of a small group tour is one of its greatest traits. Journeys are not routes from A to B, they are intangible sensory experiences that seem to double in potency when you see the joy and wonderment on other people’s faces. In one recent group, we had a guest from Scotland who had never seen a kangaroo; to all the Aussies in the group this was an almost everyday occurrence but feeling her awe and delight they lived the moment like it was their first time.

You may arrive on this journey by yourself or with a loved one, but these special journeys have a way of bringing people together. You come from different places but you’ll leave connected. Your journey has been deep. Your goodbyes, heartfelt. Perhaps you’ll travel together again someday.