What are the best alternatives to Contiki for solo travellers over 30?

Contiki's own website sets its trips for travellers aged 18 to 35. These 33 tour companies run group trips that cater for solo travellers and accept people over 30. Of them, EF Go Ahead Tours, FTLO Travel and TruTravels have the most Google reviews.

What does Contiki say about itself?

What Contiki's own website says, so each alternative below can be set against it.

• What it is: Runs its own small-group guided trips for travellers aged 18 to 35, led by its own Trip Leaders and Trip Managers. Source
• Reviews: Trustpilot: 3.9 out of 5 from 163 reviews, newest 2 November 2026. Read 3 November 2026; each platform's figure stands on its own.

What are the best alternatives to Contiki for solo travellers over 30?

These 33 tour companies run group trips for solo travellers and accept people over 30; EF Go Ahead Tours, FTLO Travel and TruTravels have the most Google reviews. Contiki's own facts come first, so each alternative can be read against it.

Which of these companies protect your money?

16 of the 33 name a scheme that protects guest payments on their own websites, such as ATOL for UK flight packages, ABTA or USTOA membership, or a trust account; the rest do not name one on the pages read.

• Aurora Expeditions: Places all voyage deposits in a separate trust account under its Deposit Protection Program.
• Classic Journeys: Takes part in the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program, where the $1 million posted may give only partial recovery of advance payments.
• Exodus Adventure Travels: ATOL number 2582 covers its flight holidays and it holds ABTA licence number Y 0751.
• Flash Pack: Says it operates a third-party trust bank account for guests' money.
• InsideJapan Tours: ATOL number 9419 covers its flight-inclusive holidays.
• Insight Vacations: Its US booking conditions name the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
• Jules Verne: ATOL number 11234 covers its air-inclusive holidays and it is an ABTA member, number V1661.
• Martin Randall Travel: ATOL number 3622 covers its flight packages and ABTOT number 5468 covers non-flight packages.
• Natural World Safaris: For UK and EU clients, cover is included through ATOL or Trust My Travel. For clients outside the UK and EU it is available for a small extra fee through Trust My Travel; no ATOL number is given.
• One Traveller: ATOL number 9718 protects its flight-inclusive packages. A bond held by ABTA (number Y3177) protects packages without flights.
• Peter Sommer Travels: Is an ABTA member, number Y6151.
• Riviera Travel: Its help pages state it is bonded with the CAA and ABTA, with no numbers given.
• Steppes Travel: ATOL covers its flight-inclusive packages; clients should check that everything booked is listed on the ATOL certificate. ABTOT covers non-flight packages (number 5488). Money for ATOL-protected bookings is held in an independent trust account managed by Serenity Trust; no ATOL number is given.
• Swoop Adventures: ATOL number 10893 is held through ABTOT; bookings other than a package holiday are not financially protected.
• TruTravels: Says it is both ABTA and ATOL registered, so guests' money is protected; no ATOL number is given.
• Wendy Wu Tours: ATOL number 6639 covers its flight packages. A bond through ABTA (number W7994) covers non-flight holidays.

Which other companies on this page fit solo travellers over 30?

EF Go Ahead Tours has the most Google reviews of the 33; these 4 share the same kind of trip by its Best for label.

• FTLO Travel: Guided group trips
• TruTravels: Guided group trips
• Overseas Adventure Travel: Guided group trips
• Exodus Adventure Travels: Guided group trips

Who to contact first

Start with the 16 companies on this page that name a scheme protecting your payments on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates.

• Aurora Expeditions
• Classic Journeys
• Exodus Adventure Travels
• Flash Pack
• InsideJapan Tours
• Insight Vacations
• Jules Verne
• Martin Randall Travel
• Natural World Safaris
• One Traveller
• Peter Sommer Travels
• Riviera Travel
• Steppes Travel
• Swoop Adventures
• TruTravels
• Wendy Wu Tours

What to ask each one to set out in writing:

• What the price includes and excludes, line by line: stays, guides, transfers, internal flights, park or entry fees.
• The deposit, when the balance is due and what you lose if you cancel.
• Which scheme protects your money and the number to check it.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 4 November 2026 · updated 4 November 2026