We Don’t Like Group Travel

Avid Traveller | Lindsay | Aug 16, 2011

“I am more of an independent traveller.” We hear this all the time at Novack’s. And it’s not surprising – from Algonquin to the Arctic, our retail component has outfitted many wilderness expeditions for those who prefer independent travel. We also cater to all types of adventurers, including solo travellers, couples and small groups. Our slogan, “Been getting you out there since 1939” demonstrates the philosophy we hold to be true: there are many ways to see the world and you have to find what style works for you. However, if you are not inclined to travel with a group or had a poor experience with group travel in the past, we ask you to consider the following:

“When people say, “I don’t like group travel.”
We usually respond, “We don’t like group travel either.”

As coordinators of the Avid Traveller “small group experiences” program, are we allowed to say that? We sure are.

We don’t like travelling with 55 other people on a crammed bus. We have no desire to be on a boat with 5000 of our closest friends (check out the photo from a previous tour to Monaco – this Cruise ship was probably our biggest nightmare). We don’t need to see 10 cities in 5 countries in 9 days – unpacking and repacking everyday. We don’t like the fact that after one week in a large group, we still don’t know all the names of our fellow travellers.

These are the traditional views of group travel and it is important to remember that not all tour companies are cut from the same cloth.

You know what we DO like?

Peace of mind, knowing that if there is an emergency, that we will be safe and looked after by a qualified leader.

Friendship, camaraderie and the opportunity to meet life long travel buddies.

Knowing that all of the details have been taken care of, and our only job is to be on time and have fun.

Having free time to explore a place either with or without fellow guests.

A mix of group dinners and independent meals in order to get the best of both worlds.

Building a sense of community through organized meetings held both before and after a tour.

Feeling like we are travelling on our own but without any of the hassles.