Which are the top guided tour companies?

These 40 tour companies run guided group tours and say on their own websites who leads them and how big the groups are. Of them, EF Go Ahead Tours, FTLO Travel and TruTravels have the most Google reviews. Each card's label gives the kind of guided tour.

Which are the top guided tour companies?

These 40 tour companies say on their own websites who leads their guided tours and how many travel together; EF Go Ahead Tours, FTLO Travel and TruTravels have the most Google reviews. Choose by group size and kind of tour, then compare protection and reviews.

Which of these companies protect your money?

18 of the 40 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.

• APT: On its UK pages, air-inclusive packages are bonded under the ATOL scheme and funds paid are held in a separate bank account under Client Fund Protection; no ATOL number is given.
• Collette: Posts $1 million with the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program to reimburse advance payments if it becomes insolvent, though that sum may give only a partial recovery.
• Contiki: Its UK destination pages state ABTA and ATOL protection, with no numbers given.
• Exodus Adventure Travels: ATOL number 2582 covers its flight holidays and it holds ABTA licence number Y 0751.
• Four Seasons Private Jet Experience: Reservations are protected by surety bonds issued by Siriuspoint America Insurance Company; no ATOL, ABTA or USTOA number is given.
• 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.
• Luxury Gold: Its UK business is an ABTA member, number Y6200; its US pages name no protection scheme.
• 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.
• 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.
• TransIndus: Is financially bonded, with ATOL number 3429 and ABTOT number 5510.
• TruTravels: Says it is both ABTA and ATOL registered, so guests' money is protected; no ATOL number is given.
• Walk Japan: Guests who book guided tours with accommodation directly are protected by Hong Kong's Travel Industry Compensation Fund; self-guided tours, tours without accommodation and bookings through agents are not covered.
• 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 guided tours?

EF Go Ahead Tours has the most Google reviews of the 40; these 4 have the most Google reviews of the rest.

• FTLO Travel: Small-group guided trips
• TruTravels: Small-group guided adventure tours
• Overseas Adventure Travel: Small-group guided land adventures
• Exodus Adventure Travels: Small-group guided tours

Who to contact first

Start with the 18 companies on this page that name a scheme protecting your payments on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates.

• APT
• Collette
• Contiki
• Exodus Adventure Travels
• Four Seasons Private Jet Experience
• InsideJapan Tours
• Insight Vacations
• Jules Verne
• Luxury Gold
• Natural World Safaris
• One Traveller
• Peter Sommer Travels
• Steppes Travel
• Swoop Adventures
• TransIndus
• TruTravels
• Walk Japan
• 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